TCSTV Style 4: Canis Major
by Tegan's Muse
Summary: As Tegan, Janeway and the crew try and deal with her new abilities, B'Elanna causes problems and a new member comes on board. He's dark and handsome, obeys only one person and everyone loves him. Janeway/OFC B'Elanna/Seven
1. Chapter 1

A/N: I'm having problems finishing this one. The muses have already started the next 2.5 stories and it seems they are far more interested in them then finishing this one. I am hoping that getting some feedback and reviews might help refocus enough to finish this one up.

* * *

Tegan Chronicles STV Style 4:

Canis Major 1

It had been a week since Captain Janeway reinstated Tegan's holodeck privileges at the request of Tuvok. She had been tempted to lock her out of the safety commands but she decided to trust her when she promised she would keep them engaged. She stepped out of holodeck one actually feeling grounded for once. She had given up on traditional meditation and had started running different sparring programs. She had just finished running a Klingon simulation and planned to shower before attempting to enter the mess hall. Her last attempt five days ago had failed when she didn't even make it past the hatchway.

"You heading to the mess?" B'Elanna asked as she stepped onto the Turbo lift with her after her sonic shower. It was the first time B'Elanna had spoken to her since finding out about her abilities in a senior staff meeting which Tegan had been present for.

"Yes." Tegan took a deep breath.

"I don't have to be a mind reader to know you're nervous."

"I can't read minds, only emotions. I feel them."

"Right, well I can't do either." B'Elanna shrugged.

"Jealous?" Tegan grinned. She knew she wasn't.

"Hardly." B'Elanna growled. "Are you trying to goad me?"

"Just a little. I thought maybe I could concentrate on your anger in the mess hall."

"Too bad Flash, I'm not going to the mess hall." B'Elanna laughed acridly. "Maybe we can go rock climbing sometime? I heard you got your privileges back."

"Yup."

"Looks like it's your stop." B'Elanna glanced out as the doors opened.

"Yeah." Somewhere in between the holodeck and the mess hall she had lost her initiative. She was ready to turn around and head back to her quarters when she felt a rush of happiness preceding the hurried footfall of one Naomi Wildman.

"Dr. Kiser are you going to dinner?"

She turned and looked at the Human-Ktarian hybrid. "I…"

"You can sit with me, mom is working this evening."

"Alright." Tegan followed her through the doors and paused.

"Come on." Naomi grabbed her hand and pulled on her. "Are you ok?"

"Tegan?" Neelix walked up concern drowning out his normally cloyingly happy mood.

* * *

"You passed out in the mess hall." The doctor closed his tricorder as she sat up.

"This is stupid."

"Did you remember to breathe?"

She pushed herself off the bed. She wanted to tell him what a stupid question that was, but she couldn't remember if she had or not. It seemed like something that should happen naturally but she had been known to forget to breathe before, just not since coming aboard Voyager. She glared at him before she marched out of sickbay ignoring his protests.

She pressed the button on Janeway's door and it slid open to give her entrance. She stopped when she walked into a brick wall of annoyance. "Sorry."

"We were just finishing up." Kathryn spoke as Tegan took a step back towards the door. She could feel her mood shift but not the more dominating mood in the room.

"Sorry, I'll leave."

Before Kathryn could protest she was out the door.

"I wonder what that was about?" Chakotay inquired.

"I don't know."

"She didn't seem like herself."

"No she didn't." She pulled her napkin from her lap and tossed it on the uneaten portion of her meal. "I should probably look into it."

"Right." He stood up and grabbed the plates to recycle. "I'll see you on the bridge in the morning."

Janeway waited until she reached the turbolift to ask the computer to locate her. "Dr. Kiser is in her quarters."

She stood outside Tegan's quarters and after hitting the door chime a second time she let herself in to find the room dark. "Computer lights to 50%." She looked around the empty quarters. Tegan's uniform was tossed on the foot of her bed which was completely out of character for the almost OCD woman. "Computer locate Dr. Kiser."

"Dr. Kiser is in the exercise room."

Janeway traversed the decks and made her way down to the gym where she found Tegan pummeling a punching bag that was hanging in the corner. "Shouldn't you have your hand taped or something?"

Tegan gave a one shouldered shrug before going another round on the bag. She had changed into heather gray sweat pants and black t-shirt with Starfleet logo on it which now clung to her sweaty back.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"No." Tegan punched the bag throwing all of her body into it.

"You came to my quarters; obviously you wanted to talk then."

"You should have finished dinner with Chakotay." She emphasized each word with another blow to the bag.

"We were almost done." She reached out and touched the rock hard muscle in Tegan's upper arm stopping her from punching the bag again. "You're more important than dinner with him."

Tegan looked at her for a second and punched the bag again.

"Is that what this is about?"

"No." Tegan rotated her hand until her wrist popped and then wiped her brow with the back of her forearm. "I went to the mess hall tonight."

"How did that go?"

"I was about to skip out when Naomi came up and coerced me into going in."

Kathryn watched as her breathing became faster.

"I got overwhelmed and passed out. I came to as soon as I was transported to sick bay." She unleashed her wrath on the bag again stopping and hugging it when it swung into her. "How am I supposed to function if I can't even go into the mess hall for dinner? The next time Voyager is under attack and I have to deal with an inundated sickbay? I can't pass out when people are counting on me to save their lives." She walked over and dropped onto the weight bench.

"Maybe when the time comes you'll be able to just over come it."

"Sink or swim?"

"Sink or swim." Kathryn repeated with conviction.

"I don't know."

"That doesn't sound like the Tegan Kiser I know."

"I'm sorry." Tegan looked up at her.

"For?"

"Not being strong enough."

Kathryn knelt in front of her and put her hands on Tegan's knees to help her keep her balance. "Is that what you think I think?"

"I don't know." Tegan closed her eyes and tried to concentrate on what she was feeling while trying to block out Kathryn's concern.

"You're human, not superhuman, just human."

"I thought these new powers put me in the superhuman realm."

"It just makes you a little more special than you already were." Kathryn's thumb rubbed the inside of her knee. "We'll keep working on it; it's bound to get better."

"You did hear me say I passed out tonight right? I haven't done that before."

"Sometimes you have to hit rock bottom before you can climb back out."

"Speaking of, B'Elanna said we should go rocking climbing again." She ran her hand through her sweaty hair.

"I told you she wasn't avoiding you."

"Oh I think she was and she's trying to come around to the fact I'm a freak."

Kathryn gave her a cautioning look.

"Just because you don't like me saying I'm a freak doesn't change the fact."

"What about Deltans, Vulcans, and Betazoids?"

"I'm not Deltan or Betazoid and they aren't human and last I checked I have human DNA."

"Slightly altered human DNA."

"See freak." Tegan grinned.

"What about B'Elanna and Naomi, are they freaks?"

She twisted her head on its axis and stood up with Kathryn following suit. "Fine I'll refrain from using the 'F' word."

"Thank you." She turned as crewmen Mitchell walked in, stopped and stood at attention. "As you were."

He wasn't on duty and not even in uniform. Tegan shook her head. She thought those guys down on deck 15 were a little weird. She grinned slightly as she picked up his discomfort which she first thought was because he walked in to find the two of them talking but as the captain continued to speak she realized it was his normal response to being around the often formidable woman.

"Crewman Mitchell, how are you?"

"I'm fine ma'am, and you?"

"I'm doing rather well thank you." She turned back to Tegan. "If you need to talk about this any further I'm always available."

She smirked at the formality even as she noticed the emphasis Kathryn had placed on 'always'. "Aye Captain." She glanced at Crewman Mitchell. "Do you need a spotter?"

"No," he pointed to the free weights. "I'm not lifting anything too heavy."

"Good cause I don't want to see you in the infirmary."

"Yes ma'am." He smiled softly at her.

When she stepped into the hall Kathryn was waiting for her. "I'm fine."

"Let's go get something to eat."

"You've already eaten." Tegan followed her to the turboshaft.

"You haven't." Janeway waited for Tegan to step into the lift.

"I need to get a shower." Tegan pulled at her shirt to emphasize her point, though she knew it wasn't going to be that easy to get out of it.

"It's the end of dinner shift. No one's going to care. Besides you don't smell." Janeway smiled. "I bet you've already taken one shower since your duty shift ended."

Tegan blushed lightly. Kathryn knew her too well. "I'm not dressed for dinner."

"There isn't a dress code for the mess hall." When the doors slid open, Kathryn held her arm out. "After you."

"If I pass out again…"

"I'll catch you." She reassured as they approached the entrance to the mess hall and the doors opened to reveal half a dozen people not counting Neelix. "You can handle seven people."

"Not when one of the seven is a hyperactive Talaxian." Tegan mumbled as he spotted her.

He waddled over as quickly as he could. "Tegan, how are you feeling?"

"I'm fine." Her eyes squinted minutely as she studied him. She knew without trying to delve into his emotions that his hip was hurting from being on his feet all day.

"You gave me quite the scare earlier. Naomi too."

"Yeah, sorry." She jutted her chin out. "How's your hip?"

"Oh you know, it's fine."

"It's hurting." Tegan called him on it.

"You can tell that from…" He waved his hand in the air not wanting to let the secret out.

"I can tell by the way you're walking this evening. You need to take a break. I bet you haven't sat down all day." She stiffened slightly as two crewmen moved past her immediately followed by an increase in concern from Kathryn.

"You're right I haven't." He admitted.

"Go have a seat, I'll serve myself."

"And Captain Janeway?"

"I've already eaten Neelix. Please, go have a seat." She waited until he moved away and followed Tegan into the galley. "See it's not so bad."

Tegan glared at her. "Speak for yourself."

"You're down to five people."

"One Talaxian, one very nervous Lieutenant Celes, if you look at her she's going to puke on her tray. Then you've got a brooding Lieutenant Baxter, a giddy Ensign Blain, a very turned on crewman Delany." Tegan watched Kathryn turn and notice that crewman Delany was staring right at her. She felt a flood of jealousy with a hint of curiosity wash over Kathryn. "I'm not interested and give her a week I'm sure she'll be drooling over Tom again. In fact that's probably who she's thinking about right now, because I'm pretty sure she's straight."

Kathryn watched Tegan pick up a tray and scoop out some kind of casserole on it. "What can I get you to drink?"

"Water."

"Why do I even ask?" She walked over to the replicator. "Water with a lemon wedge."

"Thanks." Tegan spoke as she sat the glass down in front of her. She had chosen a table as far away from anyone else as possible.

"Are you going to survive?" Kathryn asked as Tegan picked at and pushed her food around her tray.

She shrugged.

"You haven't taken a single bite."

"I'm not hungry."

"Did you eat lunch?"

"I drank a nutritional supplement." She laid her fork across her tray and picked it up when Kathryn nodded. Not that she needed her approval; she just didn't want to argue with her. Still she felt her disappointment.

"At least you managed more than two minutes in here and you didn't pass out."

"I guess." Tegan frowned as she stepped away from the table.

Kathryn stood and met her by the entrance. "One step at a time."

Tegan stepped out of the mess hall and took a deep cleansing breath.

Kathryn watched the tension seep from her shoulders. "Come with me."

"Where?" Tegan asked but followed diligently. There was no question of where they were going when they stepped into the turbolift and Kathryn requested deck three. "How come we never hang out in my quarters?"

"Because mine are nicer?"

"Oh, right." Tegan grinned. "But mine are cozy."

"Yes, yours are cozy and always clean, except I noticed you tossed your uniform on the foot of the bed this evening."

"I wasn't really in the mood to hang it up; I had a punching bag calling my name."

"Speaking of." Kathryn took her hand in hers and looked at the bruising running along it. "I think the doctor should look at it."

"It doesn't hurt." Tegan shrugged. "But I do have that medical kit in your quarters if it'll make you feel any better I'll let you play doctor."

A crooked half grin pulled at Kathryn's lips. They had decided to duplicate Tegan's medical bag and leave one in her quarters for nights she stayed so she wouldn't have to run to her quarters or sickbay to grab it before reporting to an emergency.

"Oh," Tegan laughed. "You want to play doctor don't you?"

"Hush." She had her plans which originally had nothing to do with using a medical tricorder but plans were made to be altered. She stepped off the lift and led the way to her quarters. When they were inside she pulled Tegan's medical bag from its assigned place quickly finding the tricorder she ran it over Tegan's slightly swollen hand. She frowned. "Do you have an osteoregenerator."

"It's not broken." Tegan reached for the tricorder with her biomechanical hand. She looked at the small readout. "Micro fractures, it's nothing."

"It's not nothing. We're going to sick bay."

"Honest it doesn't hurt."

"I believe you, but if you want me to play doctor with you tonight you have to let the actual doctor treat you."

"I could replicate one."

Kathryn shook her head.

* * *

"How may I…" The doctor stopped mid statement and pressed his lips together for a second. "You again?"

"I just need an osteoregenerator."

"What did you do?"

"Got into a fight with a punching bag. It's a few micro fractures, they don't even hurt."

He looked at Janeway who shrugged with her brow. "Let me guess, metacarpal fractures."

Tegan nodded.

"You didn't tape your hand or wrist for support did you?"

"No."

"Gloves?"

"No."

He ran a scan and then probed the back of her hand with his thumb trying to get a pain response. "It really doesn't hurt?"

"No."

"Your head didn't hurt either, yet both Neelix and Naomi said you hit the back of it on a table."

"And your point?"

He cleared imaginary phlegm from his throat. "I was just making an observation."

"Can we just get this over with?" She looked at the device in his hand and tried not to sound irritated. She knew she had failed when she felt Kathryn's hand on her back, a calming force which she grabbed onto.

"She's not having a very good night." Janeway spoke to the EMH.

"Obviously."

"We went back to the mess hall."

"And you didn't pass out?"

"There were a whole seven people there." Tegan rolled her eyes as he ran the small handheld machine above her injured hand.

"How long did you make it?"

"Ten minutes." Janeway answered for her.

"Impressive."

"One step at a time, Doctor." Janeway's voice warned.

"Of course." He nodded. "You're all done."

"Thank you."

"You're welcome."

* * *

"Strip." The doors had barely closed when Kathryn sounded the command.

"What?" Tegan spun around and looked at her as if she had lost her mind.

"Strip, you know take your clothes off."

"In the middle of your living room?"

"Why not?"

"Is this your idea of playing Doctor?" Tegan stepped backward.

"It's my idea of getting you clean."

"I thought you said I didn't smell." She lifted her arm and lowered her nose to her pit.

"You don't but I know you, won't relax 'til you've showered."

"Are you going to join me?" She grinned already feeling the effects of her question on the other woman. Her own temperature rose right along with her.

"Maybe."

"You know you want to."

"Do I?"

"Uh huh." She licked her lower lip slowly with intent.

"Go," Kathryn pointed to the bathroom and stared at her firm butt as she turned and padded off in the general direction.

"You know you want a shower too." Tegan called over shoulder. She was soaping up her rag when she felt a void in the spray of water on her back and spun around to see a very beautiful, very naked Kathryn standing there blocking the shower spray. "There you are."

"Here I am." She lifted onto her toes to kiss Tegan's lips. Her hands pulled at the wash cloth in Tegan's fingers. "Let's get you clean."

"Just clean?"

"Uh huh." Kathryn nodded as she ran the soapy rag over the front of Tegan's chest.

"I thought when you took a shower with someone else the emphasis was on getting wet not clean?"

"It depends on the intention of the shower."

"And the intention of this shower?"

"To get you clean." She ran the wash cloth lower. "Now turn around."

"I do know how to wash myself." Tegan protested weakly as Kathryn suds up her back.

"I know." Kathryn kissed her shoulder before running the soapy rag over it.

Tegan turned around and kissed Kathryn pushing her back into the wall as she did. "I'm changing intentions." Her fingers slipped between them and found Kathryn was wet and it wasn't from the water that was cascading over them.

"Tegan." Her protest was feeble. "Don't waste the water."

"Don't waste the water?" She grabbed Kathryn's shoulders and spun them around so she could rinse off. She knew Kathryn wanted her as much as she wanted Kathryn, but if Kathryn could show self-restraint so could she. She wasn't one to be out done. "Fine, do you want me to clean your back before I get out?" Tegan didn't wait for her to respond as she grabbed a new cloth and soaped it up. She scrubbed Kathryn's back hard before handing her the wash cloth. "I'm getting out."

"Dry off but don't get dressed."

"You want me to sit on your couch naked?"

"I want you in my bed naked." Kathryn grinned.

Tegan was lying on her back with the sheet pulled up to her waist when Kathryn came into the bedroom as naked as the day she was born. "What's that in your hand?"

"A surprise. Roll over." Kathryn held the object in a closed fist until Tegan rolled over. She pulled the sheet down and straddled Tegan resting her weight on her rear. Tegan wiggled back against her. "Be still."

"You're no fun tonight." Tegan grumbled almost playfully. She could feel how turned on Kathryn was and not just from the moisture where their bodies touched. She felt something warm drip onto her back and before she could process what it was she felt those long thin fingers sliding over her back and gently digging into the knots it found. "Ohhh."

Kathryn smiled but didn't say anything as she continued her ministrations, the warm oil helping her hands to glide across the contours of Tegan's body. When she was finished Tegan was out for the count. She bent down and kissed her cheek before slipping on her night gown and going to the living room to read.

When she awoke it was to gentle kisses on her neck. She moaned softly in response.

"It's time to wake up if you want to have time for coffee before you're due on the bridge."

"Only time for coffee?" She rolled over and trailed her hand up the inside of Tegan's thigh.

"You can have sex or coffee before your duty shift starts, there isn't time for both." Tegan reciprocated by ghosting her thumb over one of Kathryn's nipples.

"Mmmm." Kathryn ran her fingers along Tegan's sex. "Coffee might be over rated."

"Think you could say that again so I can record it." She watched Kathryn smile and roll closer to kiss her.

"No."

"How come you got to put on a night gown?" Tegan pulled the material up out of the way and brushed her lips over her nipple as she slid her hand between Kathryn's legs and parted her with her fingers.

"Because you fell asleep before you could put clothes on."

"Uh huh." Tegan pushed her fingers up and ran her thumb roughly over the bundle of pulsating nerves.

Kathryn moaned into her ear.

"Dr. Kiser to Chakotay."

"Yes Doctor?"

"Captain Janeway is on her way to the bridge, you may want to have coffee waiting for her."

"Thanks." He was surprised when she walked on the bridge in a pleasant mood. Usually when she didn't have at least one but usually two cups of her beloved nectar of the gods before coming on duty heads rolled.


	2. Chapter 2

Tegan Chronicles STV Style 4:

Canis Major2

Tegan looked up as the doors to her quarters opened. She had recently given Kathryn unlimited access to her cabin and wasn't surprised to see her step through the open hatch. "Hey."

"Hello." Kathryn looked around the darkened interior. "I heard you spent three hours in the mess hall tonight?"

"Neelix?"

"Yeah. How'd it go?"

"It was horrible." Tegan pushed her hair back with her fingers.

"Then why did you stay?"

"Because I have to work my way through this and I figured I'd try the sink or swim theory." She dropped her eyes to the rough compact carpet that lined the floor of her quarters. Suddenly it was the most interesting thing in the galaxy. "I think I sank."

She sat beside Tegan on the three person sofa that was a recent addition to Tegan's quarters and straightened her back. "As your captain, I appreciate that you are trying so diligently to work through this, but I'm ordering you to stay out of the mess hall for the next three days."

"Can you do that?" Tegan mumbled.

"I'm the captain. I can do whatever the hell I please."

"Why?" Tegan asked still staring at the carpet. "What do you hope this will achieve?"

"I think you need a break. You are pushing yourself too hard and I don't like what it's doing to you."

Tegan looked up at her with her head tilted slightly and her brows dipped toward each other.

"This," she waved her hand over Tegan. "In the past week you've come to my quarters once. If you aren't hiding away in sickbay then you're in here brooding over your attempts to be around a large group of people."

"I'm not brooding and I work in sickbay."

"No you're right, you're not brooding you're wallowing in self-depreciation and that's worse. You aren't the Tegan I know."

"You've got a headache." Tegan switched topics with all the subtly of an elephant in a tea room.

"I can deal with it, and you are changing the subject." She pointed out huskily.

"I'm fine." Tegan started to lift her hand. "It'll only take a second."

"No it won't." Her tone stopped her. "I didn't come here because I had a headache; I came here because I'm worried about you. Have you been experimenting with that gift too?"

"No." Tegan answered. "But I should."

"No you shouldn't."

"I don't know of a better place to experiment with it. We don't know if my reaction after the incident with McMann was because of it or something entirely unrelated. It could have been from all the emotional chaos that day, it wasn't the first time I have passed out from sensory overload."

Kathryn took a deep breath. "No we don't know, but you didn't just pass out. The doctor said you were in a near coma state."

"All the more reason for me to test it in a controlled environment; just like this empathic crap, I need to learn to control it. If it does zap my energy, I can't take a nap every time someone in pain grabs me or I touch them. We get attacked and I've got twenty crewmen who need assistance and the first one uses all my energy how am I going to help the other nineteen?"

Even though she knew she had a valid argument she still reminded her she wasn't the only medically trained person aboard voyager.

"The doctor's mobile emitter is malfunctioning and Tom is one of the injured crew, and even if Tom isn't injured he can't perform emergency surgery." Concerned eyes slid over Kathryn's face. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to make your head hurt worse."

She nodded accepting the apology. "You've made your point, but I don't know how you can test your theory."

"I can start by taking your pain away."

"And if as I suspect it is what caused you to," she paused looking for the right description.

"Take a two hour nap?" Tegan grinned.

"You took another longer nap later if I remember." Kathryn turned toward her. "How do you plan to 'learn to control it'?"

"I haven't thought that far ahead. I'm kind of hoping I don't have to."

Kathryn nodded her consent and Tegan lifted her fingers to the back of her neck. A few light touches later and she dropped her hand back into her lap. "How do you feel?"

"I'm fine. You?"

"My headache is gone, but it was just a mild to moderate headache. It wasn't anything close to a cracked sternum."

"You just had to burst my bubble didn't you?" Tegan had been thinking the same thing.

"Just don't go wishing for a ship wide medical emergency."

"No ma'am, not in this lifetime." Tegan stood up and swayed slightly.

"Maybe you jumped the gun on your conclusion?"

"No I'm just tired. Three hours in the mess hall." She smiled and moved to the replicator. "Are you staying?"

"For a little while, unless you're too tired."

"I'm never too tired for you." She turned back to the replicator. "Coffee, black, hot." She pulled the coffee out and spoke to the replicator again. "Mango strawberry smoothie with nutritional supplement one-five-beta."

"Nutritional supplement?" She accepted the coffee with a quiet, "thank you."

"You're welcome." Tegan sat down beside her and tucked her feet up under her. "Dinner."

Janeway frowned lightly. "Lunch?"

"Ok, lunch and dinner."

"And I'm willing to bet breakfast as well." She lifted an inquisitive eyebrow as she blew across the top of her coffee.

"No I had a glass of orange juice this morning." She grinned trying to dispel Kathryn's disproval.

"What happened to your run of almost three squares a day?"

Tegan shrugged as she took a long draw through the straw sticking out of her drink.

"Am I going to have to threaten you with the brig again?" It was said half-heartedly.

"You said one square a day minimum." She held her drink up. "This has all the essential nutrients I need."

"I'm not sure the one meal minimum is still appropriate in light of your gifts."

"I'm fine." Tegan yawned.

"Sickbay to Dr. Kiser."

Tegan tapped her badge and watched Kathryn sip her coffee. "Kiser here. What can I do for you doctor?"

"I need your assistance please."

"I'm on my way." She closed the com line and sat the other half of her smoothie down. "Will you still be here when I get back?"

Kathryn shook her head and stood. "I've got some reports I need to go over, but you can come to my quarters when you're done."

Tegan nodded.

When she walked into sickbay she could hear baby William screaming and Hayley's concern and frustration over not being able to help him was so thick Tegan felt like she had just walked into a room filled with pea soup. Her very first instinct was to remind the doctor that she didn't do kids, but this was Freddie's kid and it wasn't a very professional to say that in front of the patient or his mother despite the patient not being old enough to understand anything except baby talk. "Doctor?"

He was holding the baby and bouncing him up and down in his arms while rocking him. "I thought it might be a blocked intestine, but it turns out its just gas."

"You burped him?" Tegan turned to Hayley as the doctor handed him off to her. She looked down at his grey-blue eyes. "Hey there little guy."

"I did and he burped fine."

"Did you eat Neelix's casserole tonight?" She really didn't remember who had come or gone during dinner service that evening.

"Yeah, how'd you know?"

"Naltarian root, it's kind of like onions but a lot stronger. You need to ask him if it's in the food before you eat it, at least while you're still breastfeeding. It can make your milk bitter, but it will also make little William very uncomfortable." She flipped him up on her shoulder like she was going to burp him and his wailing continued directly into her left ear. She gently slid her hand up under the thin, dark blue cotton t-shirt he was wearing and within seconds he stopped crying. She rubbed his back for a few more minutes and he drifted off to sleep.

"How did you do that?" Hayley was wide eyed.

"Magic." Tegan shrugged. "Besides you didn't make me godmother for my looks, did you?" She grinned. "The pain may come back several times before he passes the air that's causing it. If you can't get him comfortable let me know, it doesn't matter what time it is."

"Thank you." Hayley gently accepted her son from Tegan and cradled him in her arms.

"Try and get some rest while he's sleeping." Tegan turned as the doors to sickbay swished open. She frowned at the smaller of the two people entering. "Did you eat the casserole too?"

"Uh huh." Naomi nodded as Hayley slipped out the door.

"She's been complaining of stomach pain for the last hour." Samantha Wildman hefted her up on to a biobed.

"She's your patient." Tegan looked at the EMH who was waiting to see what she would do.

"Yes, but you have the magic touch tonight." He grinned.

She gave him a look that made his photons wither and pulled the tricorder out of his hand. "When's the last time you went to the bathroom Miss Wildman?"

"Before I went to bed." She groaned and held onto her stomach as Samantha smoothed her hair back.

"Impaction?" The EMH lifted his chin to try and read the tricorder readings.

Tegan flipped the tricorder shut and waited a few seconds before she addressed Naomi. "I'll be back in a jiffy, I'm going to get something that will help you feel better for a little while anyway."

The doctor watched her walk over and pick up a hypospray and disappear through the office to the replicator bay where she replicated a medication that they didn't already have. He excused himself and met her in the office as she was coming back through. "Do you think it's wise to make up your own concoction to give to a child and just hope it works?"

"Oh ye of little faith." Tegan rolled her eyes. "I went to medical school."

"In the dark ages."

She shook her head and walked back over to Naomi and Samantha. "I'm going to give you this." She held up the hypospray. "Ok?"

Naomi nodded.

Tegan put her right hand softly against the left side of Naomi's face and pressed the injector to her neck administering a dose of the liquid she had replicated. "Better?"

"Yeah, I feel fine now." Naomi smiled.

Tegan nodded. "It might come back. You have gas, evidently Neelix's Naltarian root didn't agree with you, so until you pass that you could have more pain but hopefully what I did will help."

"You mean until I fart?" The little girl giggled.

Another reason she didn't do kids, or Colonels, or certain Helmsmen, they couldn't say fart, gas, or even flatulence without giggling, and talking about bowel movements was equally hysterical to them. "Yes." She turned to Samantha. "She might have diarrhea later as a result. Just like onions don't always agree with people. She should be fine by morning, but if it gets worse just give me a shout and I'll make a house call."

Samantha nodded. "Thank you."

"Yes, thank you." Naomi slipped off the bed and held her hand out.

"After all that and I only get a handshake?" Tegan leaned down and opened her arms and the young girl enveloped her in a huge hug. "Get some sleep kid."

"Yes, ma'am." She smiled up at her.

The doctor watched Tegan lean her hip against the biobed as she watched the mother and daughter duo exit sickbay. It concerned him. He couldn't remember her doing that in the past not even when casually chatting with Seven or Tom. "Are you feeling alright?"

"I'm fine." She straightened up and glanced at him and his lack of emotion on her radar.

"What did you whip up to cure Naomi's gas pains?" He observed her closely.

She watched his scrutiny, waiting for him to lunge. "Normal saline."

"A placebo?"

She held her right hand up and wiggled her fingers.

"Why didn't you do the same for William?"

"I didn't think of it until later, but it's pretty ingenious don't you think?"

"Yes," he surprised her, "especially for someone who studied medicine in the dark ages."

"Ha ha. I'll be in my quarters if you need my magic touch again." She knew that was exactly why he had called her down to help with William and dared him to say anything to her about using it.

She leaned heavily against the wall as she rode the turbolift down to her quarters. _I shouldn't be this tired, they were little kids and it was gas pains._

_Yeah but you also took away Kathryn's headache and it all adds up._

_I should stop talking to myself, even just in my head, it makes me sound crazy. _She grinned lightly and pushed off the wall as the lift doors opened. She made it into her quarters and laid down on the bed thinking she would get up in just a few minutes and change into a t-shirt and shorts to sleep in when she rolled over it was four hours later and she was wide awake.

She got up, showered and dressed before she headed out into the virtually empty corridors. Gamma shift was always the best time to take a stroll on Voyager. At some point she ended up in the mess hall staring out the large view ports. It was quiet and dark. She missed being able to walk into the bustling room and interact with her friends. It seemed they were so distant since she received her gifts and she didn't know if it was her, them or a figment of her imagination. After all B'Elanna had mentioned they should get together for another climb but she hadn't seen her since.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to disturb you." Neelix ambled into the mess hall and immediately spotted her. His mood was different than his normal vibrant self.

"You didn't." She turned and smiled softly at him.

"You were deep in thought."

"It wasn't anything important." She shrugged it off.

"I was just going to get started on breakfast." He tossed his thumb over his shoulder.

"Don't let me stop you."

"Perhaps you'd like to help?" Some of his cheeriness was coming back.

She knew he was trying to be helpful and appreciated his concern. "I have to be out before people start filing in."

"I understand."

"Morning Neelix, Tegan." Harry walked in a greeted when he saw them.

"You'd better get out of here." Neelix lowered his voice to a mock conspiring tone after they had said hello to Harry.

"Thanks Neelix." She slipped out the closest door and walked right into Kathryn. "Sorry Captain."

"Doctor?" Her eyebrows knitted together as Tegan quickly continued down the hall. She shook her head as she turned and walked into the mess hall. "Was that Tegan who just bumped into me on her way out of here?"

"I don't know Captain." Neelix shrugged with his big fuzzy eyebrows. "I can't say I've seen her this morning, can you Harry?"

"Umm, no?"

"No one else aboard Voyager has that color hair or eyes." She looked at Harry who was a very bad liar and he just shrugged.

It was late that afternoon when her combadge came to life. "Captain to Dr. Kiser."

"Kiser here."

"Report to my ready room."

"Aye Captain, Kiser out."

"Is somebody in trouble?" The EMH lifted a brow. His main interest was in the gossip he could generate around it.

"Probably." Tegan shrugged. "It's not like the captain and I have little trysts in her ready room, or any public space for that matter. She has her reputation to maintain, as do I."

"Of course, I wasn't implying." He quickly apologized as she walked out the sickbay doors.

After the short ride she stepped out of the turbolift onto the bridge and froze.

"Lieutenant?" Tuvok spoke from her right.

_You're fine. You can do this._ "Captain Janeway wanted to see me."

"She's in her ready room." He gave her a knowing look and a very brief nod.

"Thank you." She crossed in front of his console and moved down the steps and continued to the next few steps leading to the ready room. She took a deep breath and pressed the button that would announce her arrival.

"Come."

The doors opened to reveal Captain Janeway sitting behind her desk with a mug of coffee off to the side and a PADD in front of her.

"If this is about me being in the mess hall this morning, I can explain."

"It's not." She tried not to grin. "There's a mission I'd like to send you on, if you think you're up to it."

"Seriously?" Tegan knew she was issuing her a challenge because she knew Tegan would never turn it down if she made it about whether she could do it or not. She didn't like to be manipulated but she knew this was how Captain Janeway sometimes worked. Oddly enough she had never seen her use her art of manipulation outside of work. She hoped it would stay that way.

She ignored the question. "B'Elanna, Seven and Tuvok are going down to survey a class M planet that Seven has found some considerable amounts of dilithium ore on."

"I thought we were good on dilithium for a while?"

"We have some spare room in Cargo bay two, and we can never have too many reserves of dilithium." She paused. "If you don't want to go I can always send Harry."

"Of course I want to go."

"Good you leave from the shuttle bay tomorrow at 0600 hours."

"That means I'm sleeping in my own quarters tonight." She said offhandedly.

"You didn't come up last night when you were done."

Tegan shook her head. "I told the two patients I saw that they could contact me anytime if they needed me, I didn't want to bother you."

"It wouldn't have bothered me." Kathryn slept better when Tegan was sleeping next to her and she had a feeling Tegan did the same. She suspected maybe Tegan needed time to herself to get in the right head space before the mission. It was something she could appreciate and respect.

"Yes ma'am." She watched Kathryn roll her eyes and she smiled.

"You're dismissed."


	3. Chapter 3

Tegan Chronicles STV Style 4:

Canis Major 3

At 0600 hours Tegan found herself strapped into the jump seat of the Delta flyer. Her expertise or lack thereof wasn't needed to get them from Voyager to the planet's surface. In fact her expertise wasn't needed at all on this mission but there she was. She focused on Tuvok's calm during the six hour flight to the surface. Every once in a while B'Elanna would look back at her but she never said anything. Twice Tegan lifted her brow welcoming her query but none came. On one occasion she opened her own mouth to say something but B'Elanna quickly averted her eyes.

"It is entirely too quiet." Seven observed.

"I am enjoying it." Tuvok observed from his seat beside B'Elanna.

"It is making me uncomfortable." She was used to Tom or Harry being along and they rarely stopped talking long enough to breathe.

"Well what do you want to talk about?" B'Elanna broke her self-imposed silence.

"I do not know." Seven glanced at Tegan. "Why were you chosen to go on this mission?"

Tegan rocked her jaw to the side before scoffing. "Your guess is as good as mine."

B'Elanna turned back and looked between the two women, a silent statement being made to Seven in the minute change of expression.

She could feel it bubbling inside her and for some reason she couldn't make her cooler head prevail. "What is your problem?"

"My problem?" B'Elanna scoffed. "You're the psychic you figure it out."

"Lieutenant Torres." Tuvok's tone warned as he turned his seat to glance back at Tegan.

"Me? I didn't start it."

"On the contrary, your emotions are very volatile right now." He turned back to check their descent. They were less than thirty minutes from the surface. "Perhaps we should return to Voyager."

"I am not going to be handled with kid gloves." Tegan growled.

B'Elanna laughed derisively earning a menacing glare from the redhead that caused her to think twice.

"We have a mission to complete." Tegan directed her statement to Tuvok. "I intend on doing just that, but you are the ranking officer here."

"Indeed." He went against his better judgment and continued to the surface.

After they landed and ran an additional scan for life signs he decided it was best if they split up into pairs to cover ground more quickly. He also wanted to speak with B'Elanna about her recent attitude. He sent Tegan and Seven off in the opposite direction and waited until they were out of earshot to broach the subject.

"She can't read your mind."

"I never said she could." B'Elanna kicked a rock ahead of them and watched as it disappeared into the wall of mist. The planet was hot, humid and pretty much as miserable as B'Elanna felt.

"I would think that you would be more supportive of her."

"What's that supposed to mean?" She balled her fists at her side.

"You yourself have had struggles because of being different."

"I don't have a problem with Dr. Kiser." She kicked another rock. "I liked—like Tegan."

His eyebrow rose at her slip.

"I've just never liked Betazoids."

"Dr. Kiser is not a Betazoid, she is merely empathic. She can feel your emotion as if it were her own. It is a new gift; one that she did not ask for." He paused. "She is still learning to control it. I am certain from conversations we have had that she does not wish to feel others emotions any more than they wish for her to."

They both turned as they heard the discharge of energy weapons.

"I thought there weren't any life signs on the planet." Tegan mumbled as she found her feet.

"The atmospheric conditions must have acted like a dampening field."

"Isn't that why we couldn't transport down?" Tegan had read the pre-mission report.

"Yes." Seven said bluntly while looking at Tegan's shoulder. "You are damaged."

"He missed me by a mile." Tegan looked down at the muddy dog. "Thanks to this guy."

"I believe you are mistaken." Seven continued to stare. "You would have been hit in the chest if it wasn't for this creature's actions."

"It's a dog Seven."

"Regardless you are injured."

Tegan glanced at her shoulder as the air around them shifted bringing the scent of charred flesh and fabric to her nostrils. "Well I'll be."

"Does it not hurt?"

Tegan shrugged. "Not really."

"It was a yes or no question." Seven spun as she heard a twig snap behind them and the dog at Tegan's feet snarled and growled in the same direction.

"It's ok." Tegan said to Seven causing the dog to relax. "It's Tuvok and B'Elanna."

"Are you certain?" Seven continued to hold her phaser at the ready.

"Positive."

"We heard phaser fire." Tuvok stepped out of the mist.

"There are Hirogen here." Seven looked around them, all of her senses heightened.

"You've been hit." B'Elanna pointed to the wound with her chin as her eyes dropped to the mud covered animal.

"It's a flesh wound, I barely even feel it." Tegan shook her concern off.

"Had it not been for that thing, she would have critical injuries."

"It's a dog." Tegan repeated. "And by critical she means I'd be dead."

"How?" B'Elanna noticed the red muddy paw prints on Tegan's uniform.

"He came out of nowhere and knocked her down as we heard weapons discharge." Seven told the story as Tegan turned away from them. "I managed to shoot in the direction of the weapons fire but I did not hit my target."

"How do you know it was Hirogen?" B'Elanna asked as Tuvok stepped up to Tegan.

"The energy signature that was left behind."

"We should set our phasers to kill and head back to the Delta Flyer." Tuvok instructed as he freed the small medical kit that was hanging across her body.

"There's someone coming." She brushed off his concern and glanced down at the dog who took off running in the general direction with his tail wagging.

"Hirogen?"

"No." Tegan's face contorted and she took a deep breath as the dog ran back out of the mist to stand in front of her.

"I thought dogs barked." B'Elanna threw out.

"Maybe he does not want to draw attention to our location." Seven's ocular implant rose.

Tegan moved as the dog turned to lead her away from the group. Her shoulder was beginning to bother her and she realized the adrenalin rush from earlier must have started to wear off.

"Doctor?"

"It's fine." Her voice was a soft whisper.

"The shuttle's in the other direction." B'Elanna threw her thumb back.

"He's injured." Tegan continued her progression deeper into the foggy forest.

Tuvok looked back at Seven and B'Elanna. "We should follow."

"She's going to get us killed." B'Elanna lifted her phaser and grumbled.

"If there is someone who needs our help…" Seven began.

"I know." B'Elanna cut her off. "I know."

When they arrived at a small clearing Tegan was kneeling beside a muscular purple skinned humanoid with his back propped up against a tree. Under the mounting physical pain she dug out the medical tricorder and scanned the man, a deep sadness pulled at her features. "You lost someone."

"They killed my son." He coughed and a yellow liquid sputtered past his lips, it was the same color as the liquid staining his garments around his chest wound. "We were out foraging for berries when we suddenly found ourselves in a large metal cage. A few days passed and we woke up one morning here."

"How long have you been here?" Tuvok asked.

He closed his eyes as he thought. "Five days?"

Tegan looked back at the group and shook her head. She reached out and took the man's hand. "Take your time."

Tuvok would have stopped her if he had known what she was going to do. Of course he had seen it coming from the moment she started heading in the direction of the injured man.

"The first day we found things to eat and regained our strength. The second day they chased us through the woods and one of them shot my son in the leg." He struggled to breathe but the pain on his face had dissipated. "We managed to get away, but the next day my son was hit in the chest with one of their weapons. Since then it has just been me and his dog. I was wounded today."

"They left you here?" B'Elanna asked from where she stood off to Tegan's right side knowing that didn't sound like the Hirogen she knew.

"No, I managed to run." He brought his eyes back to Tegan. "Whatever you gave me, I am better now. I'd like to get up."

"You need to rest. You've lost a lot of blood." She patted his hand before standing and almost falling over.

"Your injury needs to be tended to." Seven grabbed her arm to steady her.

"It's not my injury." She pulled the hypospray out of her medkit and quickly shoved a vial into it before pressing it to her neck and injecting it. She looked at Tuvok and lowered her voice. "He's dying."

Tuvok gave her a single nod and turned to the man. "How many were there?"

"Four."

"Four against two; that figures."

Tegan looked at B'Elanna.

"What? The Hirogen aren't known for fighting fair."

Tegan turned when she heard the dog whine to see him nosing the man's hand. She stepped up to him and ran the tricorder over him one last time. "He's gone."

"What are we waiting around for?" B'Elanna drew their attention. "Let's go before they start hunting us."

When they were close enough to the Delta Flyer to see it they could also see all four Hirogen guarding the vessel. They quietly backed off. Two hours later the Hirogen were still pacing around the shuttle.

Seven looked down as she felt something cool and wet on her hand. The humidity in the air seemed to be keeping the mud on his coat from drying and Seven watched as the dog took an oversized paw and sat it on Tegan's thigh. Her eyes traveled up to see Tegan's head tilted to the side and her eyes closed. She pulled the hypospray out that Tegan had used earlier and checked the contents, it was Cortropine a standard issue stimulant in Starfleet medical kits. She touched it to Tegan's neck and pushed the button but there was no release of the medication.

Tuvok turned and looked at her as she shook the device. "I do not believe that will help."

She looked up at him. "It is jammed or something."

B'Elanna glanced down and back at to the Hirogen as Seven pulled out the tricorder. "She has an infection settling in her shoulder. We need to get her to the Delta Flyer."

"Easier said than done." B'Elanna watched the dirty dog take off running through the underbrush making a ruckus which seemed to get louder the further away from them he got. Finally when he was almost directly across from them he started barking and three of the Hirogen took off after him. "I guess he does know how to bark."

"We need to go now." Tuvok checked his phaser as B'Elanna nodded that she was with him. "We will clear the way. Seven you can help Dr. Kiser."

"Help?" Seven looked at the unresponsive woman for a second before picking her up and tossing her over her shoulder like a sack of potatoes.

Tuvok began to lift off once they were all in the Flyer.


	4. Chapter 4

Tegan Chronicles STV Style 4:

Canis Major 4

The first thing Captain Janeway saw when she walked into sickbay was Tegan lying on the biobed reserved for surgical and critical patients. She had already been informed that she was neither by Tuvok when he briefed her about what had happened on the planet as soon as they were back in communications range. The second thing she spotted was a rather large four legged animal covered in dried and caked mud from head to toe standing beside the bed, its clear blue-grey eyes the only discernible color on it. She wanted to go up and give it hugs, scratch its ears and give it a good bath, but she was the captain and all eyes were on her. "What the hell is a dog doing on my ship?"

Chakotay was only a few paces behind her. He knew how much she loved dogs and tried his best not to laugh as they came to a stop.

_Only seconds after they had lifted off from the surface Seven had called from the back of the flyer where she had just secured Tegan on the shuttle's small biobed; "We must get the dog."_

_"I do not believe that would be a wise decision."_

_"He saved her life." Seven quickly stepped through the hatchway. _

_"She's right. And technically he saved all of us by distracting the Hirogens." B'Elanna wasn't entirely sure why she cared about the dog, or if she did. She was certain she was only trying to back up Seven to get brownie points._

_"They will kill him." Seven's subvocal processor seemed to falter as her voice waivered with emotion._

_"Fine." Tuvok held his position. "See if you can get a lock on his life signs and beam him aboard."_

"I'm waiting for an answer." Bone thin hands perched on narrow hips as the captain puffed out her chest.

"He saved her life." Seven spoke when no one else did. She hoped this was a step in regaining her humanity that Captain Janeway would be proud she took. "We are only returning the favor."

"Absolutely not," she looked down at him as he sat there obediently looking up at her with sad eyes.

"Data had a Cat on the U.S.S Enterprise." The doctor recalled.

"A dog is not a cat, and Voyager is not the Enterprise."

"Captain Archer also had a dog," the EMH ignored the look of warning Janeway shot in his direction. "And that Enterprise was much smaller."

"I do believe Porthos was a Beagle and much smaller than whatever this is." She waved her hand in the general direction.

"Do we even know he's a dog?" Chakotay asked and everyone turned to look at him like he had just asked the dumbest question in the history of mankind.

"It looks like a dog. Smells like a dog. Barks like a dog. It must be a dog." B'Elanna rolled her eyes.

"I mean we haven't encountered any dogs in the Delta quadrant. So how can we be certain?"

"I can run DNA on him." The doctor offered.

Tegan groaned lightly from her position on the bed and the dog barked once before he turned to face her.

"It would appear our patient is waking up." The doctor stepped around to the other side of the bed. "How are you feeling? And please don't say 'fine'."

"I've been better."

"Could you be more specific?" He pushed his lips to one side of his face.

Tegan turned her head and lifted it as she heard the barely audible whine. "What the hell? How'd you get on the ship?"

"We brought him back with us." Seven lifted her chin proudly. "We thought you would be pleased."

"Pleased?" She let her head fall back on the cushion, she felt like she was going to vomit. "A dog can't live on a starship."

"My point exactly." Janeway nodded as Tegan slowly brought her eyes to her.

"Actually Captain," B'Elanna shrunk ever so slightly as the captain swung her eyes to her. She didn't know why she got herself into these situations. "Some minor modifications could be made to the ship so his waste could be easily taken care of."

He put two oversized paws on the side of the biobed.

"Sit." Tegan grumbled.

Janeway watched as he slunk back into a sitting position, his posture as perfect as Seven's. "I don't believe that."

"He could be an asset to security." Tuvok spoke for the first time. "Sending him back to the planet will most likely result in his death."

She shifted her weight and pinned him with her gaze. "Are you telling me you are seeking asylum for this dog?"

"Yes." Seven answered in the affirmative for him.

"No." Tegan rolled off the side of the bed and tried unsuccessfully to stand.

Janeway and Seven were the closest and each managed to grab an arm to keep her from hitting the floor and assisted her back on the bed. "You better stay put."

"Yes Captain."

"You don't want the dog?" Janeway posed the question to Tegan.

He looked up at her with those big sorrowful eyes and whined softly.

"He saved my life." She sighed. "The least I can do is return the favor."

"We could drop him off at the next M class planet we come across." She was trying to get a feel for what Tegan really wanted.

"And what good would that do?" Chakotay spoke up. "How is that better than living on a ship?"

"He'll have plenty of open space to run free." Janeway thought the answer was obvious.

"If the planet is void of animal life he will not have a proper diet." Seven stood with her hands clasped tightly behind her back as she brought up the facts. "If there is animal life on the planet he could become their prey."

"And he would be alone." Chakotay pointed as the dog inched closer to Tegan's feet that were hanging off the side of the bed. "He doesn't want to be alone."

"You think he should stay?"

"I do." Chakotay nodded.

"Tuvok?"

"I will work on training him for security detail."

"I'll take that as a yes." She turned slightly and pulled on her uniform jacket straightening it. "Tegan?"

She opened her eyes as her body swayed. "What do I have to do with it?"

"He will be your responsibility when he isn't working."

"Why me?" She was trying to be completely indifferent through the whole thing.

"Because he has obviously chosen you."

"What if I say no?" He gave her those sad puppy eyes again and she could feel two shifting moods coming from the side of the room where B'Elanna and Seven stood.

"Then I beam him back to the planet right now."

"What is it with me and alien dogs?" She mumbled.

"Sorry?" Janeway stretched her neck toward her to hear her better even though she had caught it the first time.

"Long story. And no, please don't send him back there."

"When you're feeling better I'd like you to check him over."

"Yes ma'am. As soon as I can stand."

"B'Elanna get to work on a relief area for him. And Seven you can work on getting him clean. It will be nice to see what our newest crewman looks like beneath all that mud." She smiled knowing no one on board could say that she had chosen to take a pet or that she had let Tegan have one out of favoritism. "You're dismissed."

Seven tried several times to get the dog to come with her. Janeway laughed boisterously when Seven tried to pick him up and the dog laid down on the floor with his legs splayed. Finally Tegan spoke. "Would you just go with her already?"

He looked up at her for a second then stood up and trotted out the door with Seven.

"How do you do that?" Janeway was impressed.

"I don't know." Tegan laid back down on her side.

"Doctor?"

"I've given her a dose of antibodies and I've done all I can for her shoulder at this point. It will probably be tender for a while." He looked over at her. "You might need to avoid wearing your prosthetic for a while if the protective sleeve bothers you."

"It's fine. I think your antibodies sucks though." She paled as her stomach revolted.

"It will take a while for them to do their job." He gave her an look that was only half filled with annoyance. "If you're nauseous I can give you something to help."

Tegan shook her head regretting the movement which only aided in her feeling sicker. "I'm fine. How long was I out?"

"A little over six hours and you're still weak."

"Looks like your theory didn't pan out the way you wanted it too." Janeway shot her a sad smile. "Tuvok said you took away a dying man's pain."

"I had to do something to help him."

"I'm not admonishing you Tegan." Janeway ran the tips of her fingers over the back of her hand. "Get some rest. I'll have Seven bring the dog to me when he's clean."

Janeway went to her ready room and quickly drafted and sent out a memo announcing the arrival of the dog. She explained that he would have an active role on Voyager but what that role was would be determined at a future date. She didn't want to have to eat crow if he turned out to be a horrible guard dog.

An hour and a half later Seven walked into sickbay and the doctor looked down at the now clean dog that ran over to the bed Tegan was still lying on and sat beside it. He was the size of a medium Labrador Retriever, with a light gray base coat, two black floppy ears, black front paws, and black spots that looked like someone had taken a paint brush drenched in black ink and spattered him with it. He had a deep chest and thin waist with a broad forehead and long snout. His eyes were almost crystal clear and shifted from a very pale blue to a pale gray. "I thought you were supposed to deliver him to Captain Janeway."

"He wouldn't get off the turbolift anywhere but here." She raised her ocular implant and dared the doctor to complain.

"It's fine." Tegan sat back up.

"It's fine?" The doctor marched around in front of her. "This is my infirmary."

"And you'll get over it." She slipped off the edge of the bed and tested her steadiness. Once she was sure she was sturdy she patted the bed. "Hop up."

In one fluid movement he was up on the biobed. She quickly got a blood sample and handed it off to the EMH. "Doctor, do you mind running his DNA and checking it for any pathogens."

He nodded as she walked into the office to pull out what he often referred to as her medieval medical kit. After she finished thoroughly checking the dog over she snapped her fingers at her side and he obediently obeyed.

"I want you to take it easy the rest of the day." The doctor looked her over noticing she was paler than normal. "In fact, I want you to take tomorrow off."

She opened her mouth to protest.

"It's an order."

"Fine." She dipped her head in consent before leaving.

Tuvok looked over as the doors to the turbolift opened and Tegan stepped out without so much as a pause. He glanced down at the dog at her side with great interest and filed away his observation for later. "Captain Janeway is in her ready room."

"Thank you Tuvok." She continued on her way as Chakotay turned around.

"He cleans up nice."

"Yes sir, I thought so too." She pressed the button on the console.

"Come." Janeway looked up from the PADD she was perusing on the sofa. "I didn't expect you to be on your feet so soon."

"I would have been sooner but the doctor refused to inject me with Cortropine."

"A second dose probably wouldn't have been prudent." She gestured to the couch beside her. "As I understand it you injected yourself in the field to be able to get back to the Flyer."

"Yes." Tegan took the proffered seat and pointed to the floor between her and Janeway.

As soon as he sat down Janeway reached forward and began massaging his ears. "He's gorgeous."

"He is." Tegan said with a hint of playful jealousy lacing her voice.

"So what can you tell me about him? He looks like he's still a puppy."

"He is." Tegan grinned. "My visual exam put him between seven and twelve months. Scans further narrowed that down to eight months."

"So he's still got some growing to do."

"Oh yeah." Tegan laughed. "He's a big guy and he's probably going to continue to grow until he's two. The DNA results came back that he is indeed a dog, with major markers pointing to two earth breeds, Great Dane and Greyhound. He's perfectly healthy. No fleas or pathogens, solid muscle."

"A little hardheaded," Janeway added for good measure. "I couldn't even coax him out of the lift with replicated dog treats."

Tegan grinned as he rested his head on her knee despite Kathryn still scratching his ears.

"He's beautiful."

"Not as beautiful as you." Tegan said without thought. She quickly sat up straighter. "I'm sorry."

"Why?" Janeway smiled broadly.

"You're on duty."

"True, but it was still sweet."

"Sweet?" Tegan made a face.

"Yes." She resisted the urge to lean over and kiss her as she stopped petting the dog. "I understand you are off duty tomorrow."

"He has a big mouth you know that right?"

"I am the Captain." She soothed.

"Uh huh, still."

"Why don't you go to my quarters and rest. I'll take care of dinner tonight." She patted Tegan's leg. "I'm almost done here anyway."

When she walked into her quarters she heard the dog whining. "Tegan?"

She walked into the bedroom to find him lying in front of the door with his head on his paws whimpering, he looked up at Janeway and thumped his tail hitting her on the foot. She rapped on the door with a knuckle. When there was no answer she let her know she was coming in. She looked down at the dog. "Stay."

He stood up and put his nose against the door ready to bolt in when the doors slid open.

"Come on." She took him by the scruff of the neck and led him to the living room closing the bedroom doors before he could get through. He started crying and she shook her head. "I'll be out in a minute."

She turned and let herself into the bathroom to find Tegan emerged up to her chin in a tub of now lukewarm water her head laid back on the edge of the tub. She watched her for several seconds letting out her own breath only when she was certain she had seen the rhythmic rise and fall of her chest. She moved over to the side of the tub and ran the back of her hand over Tegan's cheek. "Hey there."

"Hmmm?" Tegan opened her eyes.

"You fell asleep and someone isn't too happy about it."

"He wasn't too happy when I wouldn't let him get in the tub with me." Tegan lifted her hand out of the water. "Ugh, I'm a prune."

Janeway reached into the water and pulled the plug letting the water drain out and snatched a fresh towel off the rack. "Let's get you dry and in some clothes and then I'll fix us something to eat."

Tegan shook her head.

"You haven't eaten all day and it's already 2330 hours." She held her hand out and helped heft her to standing before wrapping the terry cloth towel around her. "How about chicken noodle soup?"

"No chicken."

"Just broth and noodles?"

"Yeah." She looked out the door. "What'd you do to him?"

"Made him wait in the living room."

"I don't think you are going to be his favorite person."

"When I replicate him dinner he'll forget all about it." She opened the door and he barreled toward Tegan.

"Don't jump." He skidded to a stop and wagged his tail loudly against the floor while she pulled her sweat pants on. "His dog food is under k-nine-one-zero."

"He needs a name." Kathryn looked across the small dining table as they ate.

"Maverick." Tegan said and he turned away from his food bowl and looked at her. "There you go."

"Why not something like freckles?"

"Freckles." She said it in the same tone she had said Maverick but he kept on eating. "Cause he doesn't like Freckles." She didn't like 'freckles' either. She shrugged and then rattled off several names. "Bruno, Zeus, Bors, Hercules, Maverick."

When she said Maverick he trotted over to the table.

"Good boy, now go lay down."

"He needs a collar and he should be on a leash when he's in the halls."

"I've already replicated both he kept scratching at the collar so I took it off after his relief walk earlier." She looked down at him. "He's going to need to go again before bed."

"I'll take him." Kathryn offered.

"Why don't we both take him?" Tegan stood up and took the remainder of her soup to the replicator to be recycled.

"You aren't going to share?"

"No, and you aren't either." Tegan turned to her and held her hand out for her bowl.

"It's just a couple sips." Kathryn protested but handed her bowl over. "Where's his leash and collar?"

She looked over her shoulder. "On the night stand."

On their way back Kathryn told Tegan she needed to stop off and check some things out and she would meet her back at her quarters. When Tegan told her it was late and she should just go back to her quarters Kathryn leaned in closer to her. "I was hoping you would stay the night."

Tegan agreed and was sitting on the couch when Janeway came in with an arm load of stuff. "What is all that?"

"A dog bed and toys." She smiled sheepishly. "He can't sleep on the hard floor and since you're being such a hard nose about his food I figured you wouldn't let him sleep with us either."

"He's too big to sleep in a bed with just one person."

"Well now he has his own bed." She dropped it on the floor. "We can put it in my bedroom for when you guys stay over. It was too big to be replicated in a personal replicator." She held up a large blue stuffed cat. "I got him a kitty to play with, a ball, and a rubber bone. I don't think he'll be able to destroy it."

"You're going to spoil him."

She handed the stuffed cat to him and he shook it really hard before dropping it on the floor and curling up with it. "He's a dog, that's what you're supposed to do with dogs."

"I thought you wanted him to be a security dog?"

"I do, but that doesn't mean he can't have fun when he's off duty." She ran her hand over Tegan's thigh. "Let's get you in bed, you look as beat as he does."

Tegan slid off her sweat pants and folded them neatly before placing them on the nightstand after she and Kathryn moved the dog bed into the bedroom. She slid under the covers and Maverick jumped up on the bed.

"Down." Kathryn pointed to the floor. "Off." She put her hands on her hips. "Get off the bed." Finally she grabbed his collar and started to lead him off the bed. "Down."

When he struggled away from her Tegan looked at him. "Off. You have to sleep in your bed."

Kathryn watched as he slunk down to the floor and walked in circles around his stuffed toy several times before he laid in a ball with his head on it. "How come he listens to you?"

"I don't know. I had another dog that came through the Stargate and he was the same way. It was really strange." She waited until Kathryn climbed into bed with her and she snuggled up behind her with her face in her hair, her arm draped around her waist. Kathryn's buttocks fit perfectly at her hips and she brought her legs up behind hers to follow the contour of her body. After ordering the lights out she lifted her head and kissed Kathryn's ear. "Thank you"

"For?" Kathryn asked as she felt Tegan settle back behind her.

"Letting the dog stay on board."

"I thought you didn't want the dog." Somehow she had always known better.

Tegan grinned into the darkness. "Who says I do?"


	5. Chapter 5

Tegan Chronicles STV Style 4:

Canis Major 5

Tegan felt the warm moist breath on her cheek as she woke up and instinctively took a deep breath. "OH!" She threw her hand over her mouth and nose and rolled away from it. "Kathryn you've got puppy breath."

Kathryn laughed as Tegan rolled back toward her to see that Maverick had situated himself between them.

"Off!"

"Oh let him be, I told him he could get up here."

"Why would you do that?"

"He was lonely."

She cocked her head to the side. "He told you this?"

"Yes." Kathryn smiled.

She wanted to remind Kathryn that she had made him her responsibility, that in essence he was her dog. "You do realize he is going to get bigger and if you let him sleep on the bed now you can't tell him he isn't allowed to in six months or a year."

"She's right." Kathryn spoke to Maverick who lifted his head and looked at her. "Off."

Maverick twisted his head and moved his eyes as he considered the request. Finally he looked at Tegan.

"You heard the woman, off." As soon as the word was out of her mouth he stood up and walked over Kathryn to hop off the bed. Tegan quickly praised him. "Good boy."

"I would have given him a T-R-E-A-T." Kathryn spelled the word out.

Tegan stared blankly at her for several seconds before sitting up and grabbing her sweatpants. "I need to use the bathroom, take him for a relief walk and a run on the holodeck before I hand him off to Tuvok for his training session."

"Don't forget you're off duty today." She watched Tegan wave over her shoulder as she headed into the bathroom. When she came back out several minutes later Kathryn continued. "You're supposed to take it easy today."

"I will." Tegan slipped her prosthetic on without putting on her protective sleeve and picked up Maverick's leash and clipped it to his collar.

* * *

"Good morning Doctor."

"Tuvok." She held out the leash for him as she explained he had just gone to the bathroom and for a run and eaten his breakfast.

"How are you this morning?"

"I'm well, thank you, and you?"

"I too am well." He looked down at the gray and black dog. "Have you chosen a name for him?"

"Maverick. It was the first name out of my mouth and the only one he will respond to."

"I see."

She knelt in front of him and rubbed his ears before taking both sides of his face so he was looking at her. "You behave and follow Commander Tuvok's instructions."

"He will be fine." Tuvok spoke when she hesitated to leave.

Tegan nodded. "If you need me…"

"I will let you know."

Tegan knew Kathryn was already on duty so she returned to her quarters to shower and change into her uniform. She stepped back into the hall not knowing what she was going to do with her day. She felt fine and didn't see why she couldn't work. With that thought she headed to sickbay and argued with the holoman for twenty minutes until he finally threatened to call security if she didn't leave.

"Fine." She huffed and walked out. She realized it was harder to fight with him than someone who had emotions she could read. Aside from his facial expressions she really didn't know how annoyed he was until he had reached his breaking point, which only proved to her she was letting her normal powers of observation slip in favor of her new found talent.

She stepped into the Astrometrics lab to find Seven and Tal Celes working. She could feel a mixture of calm and annoyance coming from one side of the room and frustration with just a touch of fear from the other side. It did seem it was easier for her to narrow down who was emitting which emotions, as long as the group remained around half a dozen or less. She felt the annoyance grow seconds before Seven addressed her. "How may I help you Dr. Kiser?"

"You can't." She looked over at Celes who gave her a small smile over her shoulder.

"You only come down here when you are forced off duty and bored." Seven stated her observation.

"I'm not bored." Tegan clasped her hands behind her back as she looked back at Seven who never once stopped inputting information into her console. "And it's kind of hard to slip down here when I am supposed to be working in sickbay, unless I'm making a medical call."

"I see." Her fingers paused hovering over the touch screens. "Was there something you wished to see? Sometimes Captain Janeway comes here to look at the local star charts, other times she wishes to pull up the 3D representation we have of earth."

"Earth." Tegan breathed the word out on barely a whisper.

Seven's enhanced hearing picked up the murmur and her fingers danced across the console until the blue and green ball appeared in front of them.

Tegan looked up, her eyes wide.

"Where is your home?" Seven had turned and was studying Tegan's expression. Seven's own mood had softened considerably. "I can pinpoint its exact location for you."

Tegan shook her head. "My home is here."

"Here?"

"Voyager." She did a precision military turn before she marched out the door and right into B'Elanna. "Sorry."

"Hey! Watch where you're going," B'Elanna growled.

"Or what you'll kick my ass?" Tegan raised both eyebrows.

"I might." B'Elanna put both hands on her hips trying to gauge her own anger. "Look, just stay away from me and we won't have any problems."

"I don't have a problem with you." She felt B'Elanna tilt into the red zone.

B'Elanna knew Tegan was still struggling with her new gift and despite Tuvok talking to her the day before she took advantage of what she knew and stepped well into Tegan's personal space. She knew Tegan well enough to know she wasn't as protective of her space as Seven was, but she also knew Tegan was uncomfortable when most people invaded it. "No, but I do with you, petaQ."

Tegan felt B'Elanna put her hand on her arm, her fingers tightened around the thin limb as if she could snap it like a twig. "Don't touch me."

A feral grin peeled B'Elanna's lips back. Logically she didn't want to throw the first punch since she could use self-defense as her motive. "Or you'll what?"

Tegan took a deep breath and twisted her arm free. "You and me, holodeck two at 2000 hours. We can finish this there."

B'Elanna growled, "You'd better not be late."

* * *

When the chime for her door sounded Tegan didn't need to ask who it was. Her empathic ability seemed to be getting stronger, now she couldn't even completely get away from others emotions when she was in her quarters. It made it especially hard when Lieutenant Arkinson was horny and couldn't sleep because then she would get frustrated and since their beds were against the same wall Tegan ended up feeling horny and frustrated as well. It didn't help that Arkinson was trying this whole new abstinence streak. Tegan wondered how much of it was self-imposed and how much of it was she had just run out of willing partners in the small crew.

"Come in." It was 1400 hours and she was sitting on the couch in her quarters with the lights at 50%. As the doors slid open Maverick charged in all legs with his ears flopping in the air. "Sit."

He put his butt on the floor but his forward momentum continued and caused him to flip tail over head before he was able to upright himself and sit again. He looked at her awaiting her next command.

Tuvok cocked his head slightly as he observed the behavior. "I cannot get him to respond to any of my commands, yet he willing obeys you."

"I don't know Tuvok. He won't listen to Janeway either." She shrugged. "Maybe I can work with you both."

"You are on medical leave today, are you not?"

"I am, but we could meet up tomorrow evening."

"That would suffice." He glanced quickly around her quarters. "It would appear you are hiding."

"What makes you say that?"

"You do not normally just sit in your quarters."

Her eyebrow twitched. "Like you said, I'm on medical leave."

"I do not believe that is the reason."

"Everyone is working and it's not like they want me around anyway."

"I do not understand." He waited for her to give him more information.

"Nothing, forget I said anything."

"I would like to be of assistance if I can be."

"I'm fine Tuvok, really." She forced a smile as she stood up and moved to the replicator where she ordered Maverick's lunch.

He watched her carefully. "Have you been meditating?"

"No." She sat Maverick's bowl on the floor next to his water. "Not in the last week anyway."

"Perhaps we can work on that after we work with Mr. Maverick tomorrow."

One corner of her lips curled up slightly at the title. "Sure."

"I will see you then."

"Have a good evening Tuvok."

She was back on the couch an hour later when she picked up on a hyperactive happiness that felt like a box of gigantic jumping beans. The door chimed several seconds later. "Come in."

The little girl burst through the door and ran up in front of Maverick, she stopped just short and stood ram rod straight looking like a little version of Seven except for her physical attributes. "May I pet him Doctor?"

"I'm off duty." Tegan grinned softly as she felt an awkward reticence tinged with fear.

"Naomi?"

"Neelix." Tegan smiled at the man who stood in the open doorway with his hands tucked safely behind his back. "You can come in."

Neelix stepped in just enough to let the doors slide shut behind him.

"Tegan?" Naomi asked afraid her request had been forgotten. Maverick sat in front of her perfectly still aside from the occasional thump of his tail.

"You may." Tegan watched her fingers stretch out and bury into the fur.

"He's so soft." Her face was engulfed in the largest smile Tegan had seen in a while. "Seven said I should research dogs before I came to see him. I've been reading about them all day."

"And what have you found out?"

Her brow furrowed creating small wrinkles between her spikes. "That they like lots of attention and need to be exercised to get rid of excess energy. Some of them can be aggressive and bite people or other dogs, because they are domesticated from wild animals, but usually their aggressive behavior comes from how they are raised and not from their breeding. Seven says he is only eight months old and still learning how to behave properly, like me."

Tegan grinned at her. "It does sound like you have been doing your research." She looked up at Neelix. "You are more than welcome to touch him if you wish."

"I'm fine right here." He shook his head his eyes never leaving Maverick. "He is a beautiful creature though."

"Have you ever seen a dog before Neelix?"

"Only pictures of the Captain's dog."

Tegan nodded in understanding.

"Are you going to train him to bite?" Naomi made a face when he wiggled forward and reached out his tongue to swipe it across her cheek.

"No." Tegan answered and Maverick turned and looked at her. "It's ok boy."

"That's what Seven said." She wiped at her face. "Did he just taste me?"

Tegan laughed. "I guess in a way he did. It's his way of greeting you."

"Like a kiss?"

"Exactly, like a kiss."

"We should be going Naomi, your mom will be worried if she can't find you when she gets off duty." Neelix nodded his appreciation to Tegan before backing out of the room.

* * *

Tegan changed into shorts and a t-shirt before showing up at the captain's quarters at 1930. "You're in."

"I was just replicating dinner, can I get you something?"

Tegan wrinkled her nose. "No."

"Did you just take him for another run?" She looked down at Maverick who sat tiredly at Tegan's feet.

"No, I took him to go potty. I think Tuvok wore him out." She bent down and took his leash off. "Ok."

Once he heard her say 'ok' he trotted over to the replicator to smell the pasta and red sauce that had just materialized there before he went into the bedroom and found his stuffed kitty. He hauled it out by its tail and curled up with it in front of the couch.

Janeway looked over at him and chuckled as she moved her food to the table. "I heard that didn't go so well."

"No."

"It appears he'll only listen to you."

Tegan shrugged. "It's only been a day, give it some time."

"Make yourself at home." Janeway gestured toward the couch.

"Actually I was wondering if you would mind watching him for about an hour, hour and a half. I'm meeting B'Elanna on the holodeck."

"You're not rock climbing are you?"

"No." She fidgeted slightly.

"Go on then." She smiled. "We'll be here when you get back."

"Thanks." Tegan mirrored her smile before she slipped out the door thinking that went far easier than she thought it would.

When she turned onto the corridor heading to the holodeck she could see B'Elanna and Seven outside and they appeared to be arguing. As she got closer she could hear them exchanging words.

"You don't think I can beat her? Just because she made you cry uncle you think she can beat me too?"

Seven's ocular implant rose slightly. "It seems like a logical assumption. And I did not 'cry uncle', I merely ended the session before one of us got hurt. If given the opportunity she would not 'beat' me again." Seven lifted her head as she noticed Tegan's approach. "I do not think this is wise."

"I won't hurt her too bad." Tegan plastered a grin on her face even as she felt the anger seeping out of B'Elanna's pores. She had been hoping B'Elanna had calmed down since earlier in the day but it appeared her discussion with Seven had only rekindled her anger.

"I am not sure who I am more worried about." Seven looked between the two women.

"Don't you even think about going to Janeway, Borg." She often used 'Borg' as a pet name for Seven but her stress on the word currently didn't go unnoticed.

"It would be the logical action to take." Seven regarded B'Elanna for a minute. "But I will not."

B'Elanna watched her turn on her heel and head off down the hall. "What I don't get a kiss?"

"You do not." Seven continued to walk.

"Oh." Tegan's mouth hung open for a second too long.

"'Oh' what?" B'Elanna punched the door sensor with her thumb and grabbed Tegan's arm pulling her inside with her.

"You and Seven." Tegan shook her head as she tried to back away from B'Elanna.

B'Elanna grabbed her other arm and held her in place ready to shake the answer out of her. "What about us?"

"She's holding out on you." Tegan felt the flare about the same time she went flying backwards into the holo-grid. She reached up and rubbed the back of her head. "I think I hit a nerve."

"Seven and I are fine. This is about you and me."

Tegan leaned back and felt the skin cells on B'Elanna's knuckles brush the ones on her chin. Had she connected, Tegan was pretty sure she would have broken her jaw. Still, she wasn't ready to throw back any punches. She circled around her so she couldn't easily be backed into the wall.

"Stop trying to read my mind." B'Elanna's pushed her with open palms.

Tegan took a calculated step back and managed to keep her balance, but she didn't move fast enough when B'Elanna planted an uppercut into her abdomen. She rolled forward hugging her abdomen. B'Elanna wasn't just sparring, she was out for blood.

"What you didn't see that coming?" B'Elanna lunged toward her.

Tegan grabbed her fist midflight with her biomechanical hand and brought her other fist up into B'Elanna's rib cage with just enough force to knock the air out of her lungs. "How many times do I have to tell you I can't read minds?"

B'Elanna bounded around her. "I'm tired of talking."

"And I don't want to fight you."

"Too bad." B'Elanna threw another punch connecting with Tegan's side.

"I think you and Seven just need a good hard…" She didn't get to finish the statement as B'Elanna's fist connected with her mouth.

"Fuck!" B'Elanna looked down at her bloodied knuckles that had scraped against Tegan's upper teeth when they cut through her lower lip.

Tegan spit a mouth full of blood onto the floor glad the holodeck ran an auto sterilize between uses. "Seriously B'Elanna."

B'Elanna ignored her attempts at communication and stepped into Tegan's space backing her up into the grid behind her. "Come on hit me."

"I told you I don't want to hit you."

"Shut up and hit me."

Tegan took a deep breath. This wasn't one of her better plans. She had really hoped they could talk things out and work through this. Instead the angrier B'Elanna became the harder it was for Tegan to separate it from her own emotions. Finally she growled deep in her chest and pushed B'Elanna away.

"That's it," B'Elanna yelled. "Hit me."

Tegan pulled back and slammed her balled fist into the side of B'Elanna's face. As they continued to exchange blows Tegan refused to use her biomechanical arm for anything other than to block B'Elanna's strikes. If she were completely honest it was her biomechanical arm that had helped her against Seven and in this case she knew she could do extreme damage to B'Elanna by engaging it's use.

B'Elanna noticed she was starting to falter, a few times Tegan had swung at her and completely missed despite her not dodging her. She thought she finally realized what was happening when Tegan swung around and kicked her in the ribs. She cried out in pain certain she cracked a couple and went in for a one-two strike. She knew Tegan wasn't using her biomechanical arm to fight back, so she attacked with her left first and as soon as Tegan grabbed her with her human hand, the pain in her chest dissipated. She grinned savagely as she put all of her weight behind her second punch.

Tegan let go of her and stumbled backwards a combination of taking B'Elanna's pain away from her as she had been since the beginning and the blow to her chest. If she could figure out how to stop taking B'Elanna's pain away she might actually be able to beat her. "I need a break."

"What do you think this is; a game of velocity? There are no breaks." B'Elanna ran at her.

Tegan spun around and tossed B'Elanna onto the floor straddling her before she could get up. She grabbed her wrists and pinned the floundering woman to the hard metal deck beneath them. "What the hell is your problem?"

"You are." B'Elanna pushed up against her, her hips pressing hard into Tegan's groin. Her breathing was ragged. "You think you know everything about me."

"I barely know shit about you." Tegan's grip on her right wrist increased while the strength in her human hand started to ebb.

"Get the fuck off me." B'Elanna bucked up against her.

"Are you ready to call it quits?" They'd been at it for an hour already and she needed to get back to Kathryn and Maverick.

"No." B'Elanna spat back a second before Tegan's body collapsed like a house of cards on top of her. She flipped them over and pried Tegan's biomechanical hand off her wrist. She slapped her hard. "Come on wake up."

When that didn't work she started frantically searching for a pulse in her neck. A string of Klingon profanities that would have made her mother proud tumbled over her lips as she hit her combadge. "Two to beam directly to sickbay."

In Janeway's quarters Maverick started to whine and pace. "It's ok. I'll take you to the bathroom."

When they got in the turbolift he refused to get off on the level his relief area was set up on. She pulled him, tried to coax him out with a treat, pushed on him from behind, but he refused to budge. She went to each deck until he finally decided to get off on deck five.


	6. Chapter 6

Tegan Chronicles STV Style 4:

Canis Major 6

B'Elanna was trying to pace a hole in the floor of the infirmary when the doors opened and Janeway was tugged through the hatchway by Maverick. B'Elanna saw her and stopped in her tracks while hiding her face behind her hands and muttering to herself.

"Captain I was going to call you as soon as I finished up here." The EMH watched as Maverick put his paws on the bed and nudged Tegan's hand with his nose. "I was just getting ready to try and wake her with a dose of Animazine now that her heart rate has stabilized."

"Doctor?"

"I'm sure she and Lieutenant Torres can explain much better than I can." He groused as he pressed the hypospray to Tegan's neck and her eyes popped open.

"I'm fine." She looked at Maverick. "Sit."

Maverick sat as she brought her eyes up to Janeway who had her arms folded over her chest. She glanced at B'Elanna as she gingerly sat up. "Don't worry, the worst she can do is throw us in the brig and if she makes us share a cell we can finish killing each other."

B'Elanna shook her head finally having composed herself enough to stand still with her hands at her side. "You're not funny. I thought you were dead, or at least dying."

"Wasn't that the point?"

"Does somebody want to tell me what's going on?" Janeway interrupted.

"I didn't want to kill you." B'Elanna confessed. "I was just mad."

"Uh huh, fells like you wanted to kill me." Tegan rubbed at her still sore ribs. "And you didn't want to talk."

"No, I didn't."

"And now?"

"I want you to stop asking me questions." B'Elanna's nostrils flared but not in anger.

"I'm asking you questions because I don't know what you want from me."

"You really don't know do you?"

"No I don't." Tegan stared deep into chocolate brown eyes.

"I want things to be like they were before you got that stupid gift."

"Which one?" Tegan chuckled dryly. "I do too, but I can't change who I am. And I'm not going to go around and tell people what you're feeling, if that's your concern. Like I said, I can't read your mind. I don't know why you're angry, or happy, or sad. I just know when you are those things. I still want to be your friend and I want you to be able to tell me why you feel a certain way. But whether we are friends or not doesn't change the fact that I'm going to protect your feelings."

B'Elanna turned to Captain Janeway. "I instigated a fight. She would have won too if she hadn't tried to die on me."

Tegan sat there staring at her tennis shoes after the doctor had treated B'Elanna's injuries and Janeway told her she wanted to see her in her ready room at 0900 hours.

"Don't think you're getting off so easy either, you will report to my ready room at the same time."

"Yes ma'am." She didn't look up.

"Can she leave sickbay Doctor?"

Tegan secretly wished he would say no.

"I've treated her injures." He let his eyes travel over the now green bruises that littered her body. "The Animazine will wear off in about another hour and she'll probably be out like a light at that point. She needs to eat before that happens."

"You didn't eat?" Kathryn watched her shrug.

"I also want to put a monitor on her. I'm concerned about her heart rate, but I don't see a reason to keep her here." He turned to Tegan. "I want you to take tomorrow off, and this time I do mean off. Absolutely no holodeck time, no swimming, exercising or fights of any kind."

She nodded. She wasn't in the mood for a lecture from him.

They made their way to Kathryn's quarters in complete silence. The entire time Tegan wished a small spatial anomaly would open up and swallow her. When the doors to her cabin closed behind them Kathryn finally spoke; "What do you want to eat?"

"I need to get a shower." Tegan looked down at her sweat and blood stained shirt and made a face.

"You haven't eaten all day." Her voice raised in volume. "The doctor said that was one of the reasons you collapsed."

"My nutritional status had nothing to do with it." She bit back with a mordant tone.

Kathryn put two and two together and wondered why the doctor hadn't or if he was trying to protect Tegan's privacy. "You were relieving B'Elanna's pain while you two were fighting?"

"Not intentionally."

"Just like you didn't go to the holodeck with the intention of fighting her?"

Tegan wished she could tell her she hadn't, but she had been dressed for the occasion and she had been the one who told B'Elanna to meet her there. Maybe she should have just let things play out in the hall earlier. She shook her head. "I'm going to get a shower."

She disappeared into the bathroom and stripped her clothes off. She was tempted to take off the monitor the doctor had insisted she wear, so she could take a hydroshower, but she really didn't want him disturbing her. She leaned against the wall and ordered the sonic shower to its highest setting. She could still feel the waves of Kathryn's discontent when she stepped out of the shower ten minutes later.

Kathryn heard the shower cut off and a few minutes later she heard Tegan emerge from the bathroom. She waited expecting her to join her in the living room, finally after ten minutes of waiting she got up to see what was keeping her. "You still haven't eaten."

Tegan was lying on the bed in a pair of purple plaid sleep shorts and a black t-shirt. She was still wearing her prosthetic. "I'm not hungry."

Kathryn leaned her shoulder against the doorway. "Is this one of your self-destructive mechanisms?"

"It's one of my, if I eat right now I'm going to puke moments."

"Fine," She huffed. "I'm going to take Maverick for his nightly walk."

"I can do it." Tegan started to get up.

"The stimulant the doctor gave you is going to wear off soon."

Tegan shrugged.

"I'll be back." Kathryn took her time walking the corridors, taking him on several decks before she returned to her quarters an hour later. She took his leash off and followed him to the bedroom where Tegan was asleep, if the state she was in could be considered sleep. Kathryn was certain she wouldn't be able to wake her up if she tried. She let her eyes wander over her and noticed she had failed to take off her biomechanical arm and she was currently lying on the access point for her to be able to remove it. Rather than bother her she ordered the lights to ten percent as Maverick settled into his bed.

Two hours later Tegan emerged from the bedroom with her hair standing up on one side of her head, a blurry eyed Maverick following close behind.

Kathryn looked up from the PADD she had been studying trying to find a punishment befitting the 'crime'. "Where are you going?"

"My quarters." She continued to walk to the door.

"I don't think so."

"Then I'm going to sick bay." Tegan grumbled

She would have been more concerned if that had been Tegan's first response. "Why?"

"Because you're thinking too loud."

"I'm thinking too loud?" In another setting before all of this happened, Kathryn would have found the statement humorous.

"I can't sleep with your anger and disappointment strangling me." It crushed her that Kathryn was disappointed in her, but she did understand why. Still she could handle her Captain being upset with her far easier than she could Kathryn, and right now she was aware they both were.

"What do you want me to feel?" She wished she would turn around and look at her but at least she had stopped moving closer to the door. "Do you want me to be happy that you almost beat up my Chief Engineer?"

"No, of course not, but I can't stay in the same quarters as Captain Janeway right now." She turned slowly. "That's who you are right now. You just asked me if you should be happy I almost beat up your Chief Engineer. Kathryn would have used B'Elanna's name."

She hefted the PADD slightly. "I'm still trying to figure out how I'm going to discipline the two of you. I can't not be Captain Janeway at the moment, you and B'Elanna made sure of that."

"I don't blame you for being mad at me on every level right now, but I can't help you come to a conclusion."

"So you're just going to run away every time you screw up and I get mad at you?"

"You're not just mad, I can handle mad." Tegan shook her head and walked over to the chaise where she sank into the chair. She knew Kathryn had a point.

Kathryn watched her for several minutes as she stroked Maverick's head which he had laid in her lap. After a while she went back to searching her PADD.

At 0500 Kathryn got a shower and put on a clean uniform when she came out Tegan went in to brush her teeth and get dressed. When she returned she had Maverick's leash on him. "There's a bagel for you."

Tegan glanced at the table. "I need to take him for a walk."

* * *

Tegan left Maverick outside with Tuvok when she reported to Janeway's ready room at 0900. B'Elanna arrived a minute behind her and they stood arm to arm at attention facing Janeway's desk as she paced. Finally she stilled her movements and turned to face them. "I expect more from both of you. You are officers, and not just any officers you, you are the Chief Engineering Officer and the First Medical Officer."

"Captain, may I—"

"No you may not." She turned her cold blue gaze on B'Elanna. "I ought to throw you both in the brig."

A small smile tugged at the corners of Tegan's mouth.

Janeway's eyes flicked over to her. "This isn't a laughing matter Lieutenant."

"No ma'am." She forced her face back to neutral.

"Assigning you extra shifts is redundant since you both work over any chance you get." She pinched the bridge of her nose the headache from her lack of sleep grew tenfold. "I'm confining you both to your quarters for the next 72 hours. And I will be keeping Maverick during that time."

Tegan wanted to tell her she was acting more like a mom than a CO, sending her kids to their respective rooms and grounding them. She wanted to tell her the brig was a more appropriate punishment, but she wisely kept her mouth shut on the subject since she knew it wasn't just her Kathryn didn't want to send to the brig.

"Maverick?" B'Elanna turned her head to the side. "You named him?"

"He kind of chose his own name."

"Ladies." Captain Janeway's voice was firm reminding them they weren't there for social hour.

"Sorry Captain." They spoke in unison.

"Technically you were both off duty at the time but you are both Starfleet officers and despite it taking place in a nonpublic area it was still conduct unbecoming. Consider this a warning because if this ever happens again I will be stripping you both of rank and throwing you in the brig."

"Yes ma'am." Tegan was the first to respond.

"Yes Captain." B'Elanna shifted her weight.

"Lieutenant Kiser you are to report to sickbay and then to your quarters. You are both dismissed."

"Captain, if I could have a minute of your time." B'Elanna requested as Tegan gave her a warning look to leave it alone.

Janeway gave a quick nod and Tegan took her leave.

She skipped the formalities of requesting permission to speak freely. "Please don't punish Tegan for what I did."

"As far as I am concerned neither of you are blameless in this."

"I started it. She wanted to talk. I threw the first punch and she still wanted to talk. I got in her space and pushed her until she couldn't discern her feelings from my anger and then I provoked her."

"That may be but she needs to learn to control it."

"It's still new to her."

Janeway's brows knitted together. "Why the sudden change of heart?"

"Because I was wrong."

"You're dismissed Lieutenant." Janeway didn't give her any clue as to what she was planning to do.

* * *

The doctor removed the monitor and ran a tricorder over Tegan. "You didn't eat and you need to get some sleep."

"I slept for two hours."

"I wouldn't call that sleep." He frowned. "I can give you a sedative."

"I'm confined to my quarters for the next 72 hours I think I'll find plenty of time to sleep."

"That hardly seems fair considering."

"Considering what?" She pinned him with her stare.

"It's obvious what B'Elanna did."

"It doesn't matter what she did, I reacted in a manner unbecoming a Starfleet officer. If I had acted like that back in my time line my CO would have thrown me in the brig so fast my head would be spinning for a week."

"Captain Janeway to Dr. Kiser."

"Oh I rate doctor now." She raised interested eyebrows to the doctor before tapping her combadge. "Kiser here."

"Please report to my ready room when you are finished with the doctor."

"Yes ma'am, Kiser out."

"You're free to go."

"Stay." Tegan spoke to Maverick as she passed him and Tuvok on the bridge when he started to move towards her. She pressed the sensor outside the ready room and waited to hear Captain Janeway tell her to enter. When the doors slid open she stepped in to find her pulling a mug of coffee out of the replicator.

Kathryn refrained from offering Tegan a drink as she turned to face her. "It seems I jumped to conclusions about what happened last night."

"Whatever B'Elanna told you Captain…" She stopped when Janeway waved her hand in the air cutting her off.

"What I don't understand is why it had to come from B'Elanna?"

"You didn't ask and I'm sure B'Elanna told you she instigated the fight but that doesn't negate the fact that I exchanged blows with her."

"She says that you wanted to talk and she intentionally used your empathic abilities against you."

Tegan opened her mouth, her tongue moving to speak, but no words came out.

"You could have told me that." She let her command mask slide off for the interim. "Why didn't you tell me what happened last night?"

"Because I couldn't," Tegan locked eyes with her. "You are my commanding officer first. You are the woman I love second. As much as you and I would like to separate them completely, we can't. Last night you were both Kathryn Janeway and Captain Janeway, I couldn't have told Kathryn what happened without it influencing Captain Janeway's decision in how she would handle the situation. It would have been a conflict of interest. I never want it to look like I have special privileges or get a lesser punishment because of my relationship with you."

"Good." Kathryn nodded her head and her face hardened back into that of the formidable Captain. "I spoke with Tuvok and Chakotay after B'Elanna explained what happened last night. B'Elanna's reprimand remains unchanged, though I was tempted to make it a full week and move her to the brig.

"You are no longer confined to quarters; you will spend the rest of today following the doctor's orders which he gave you last night. Tomorrow morning you will report to Commander Tuvok where you will spend a minimum of six hours working on controlling your gift. The other two will be spent working with Maverick, who is living up to his name when it comes to his training sessions with Tuvok, and see if you can't get him to follow orders from someone besides you. You will continue to work with Tuvok for two hours following your duty shift until he says otherwise.

"Both Commanders Chakotay and Tuvok have agreed this is appropriate under the circumstances and they have signed off on it."

"Yes ma'am."

"I'd like to order you to eat. I am going to make it a formal request that you eat lunch and try and get some rest."

"Aye Captain."

"I'd also like for you to come to my quarters for dinner at 2000 hours tonight, you can pick up Maverick then."

Tegan nodded.

"You're dismissed."

Kathryn waited half an hour for Tegan to show up for dinner. It wasn't like her to be late. "Computer locate Tegan Kiser."

"Dr. Kiser is in her quarters."

She looked over at Maverick who was happily chewing on his rubber bone. "Do you want to go for a walk?"

He jumped up his tail flapping from side to side in a frenzy knocking two PADDs from the coffee table.

"As you were." The captain spoke to the security officer posted outside B'Elanna's quarters and wondered briefly if he was really needed. Since it was Tuvok's purview she decided to leave it be.

She walked up to Tegan's door and pressed the sensor which immediately allowed her entrance. She fought the urge to turn and check out the expression of the ensign reminding herself the crew was fully aware of their relationship. The cabin was completely dark as she and Maverick stepped in. "Computer lights to ten percent."

She quickly spotted Tegan through the open bulkhead lying on her bed still in her uniform. Maverick went over and curled up in his bed. Kathryn stood there and watched her sleep for a while. When she tried to coax Maverick back out he just lifted his head and looked at her before resting it back on his paws. When he turned down treats she gave up and headed back to her quarters for the night.


	7. Chapter 7

Tegan Chronicles STV Style 4:

Canis Major 7

Tegan walked into the mess hall where she was supposed to meet Tuvok that morning and despite the bustle of day shift trying to get breakfast before reporting for duty she actually made it through the doors and over to the galley where she and Neelix exchanged greetings.

"He isn't going to eat you Neelix." She held Maverick's leash loosely in her hand as he stood at her side.

"I'm just not used to dogs, but he is very pretty."

"I'm surprised to see you here." Kathryn put her hand on Tegan's lower back briefly announcing her presence.

"I'm meeting Tuvok here."

"Eating first?" Kathryn smiled at Maverick who was looking up at her and wagging his tail. "Good morning to you too boy."

"No." Tegan nodded to him that it was alright and he trotted the scant distance between her and Kathryn to get his ears scratched.

Kathryn squatted down to give him and attentive ear rub. "I missed you last night."

"Sorry I fell asleep."

"I know."

"Thanks for dropping him off."

"I didn't." Kathryn put her hands on her knees and stood back up. "He refused to leave once he had gotten comfortable in his bed. Do you want to try again tonight?"

"You've got your weekly thing with Chakotay tonight." She made a face as Maverick dropped his rump on top of her foot. Under her breath she whispered, "Shadow?"

Kathryn barely heard the whisper and gave Tegan an interested look which only earned her a very brief shake of her head.

* * *

Tegan left Maverick with Kathryn promising to stop in again around 2130 when she was sure dinner would be over and Chakotay would hopefully be long gone; then she headed to the mess hall as requested by Tuvok. Not knowing that he was testing a theory about Maverick's presence allowing her to roam the ship more freely. She walked in feeling no apprehension. Neelix threw up a hand holding a silver metal spatula in greeting. Tom tossed his boyish smile her way as he made his way over to where Harry was sitting at a table made for two. She only made it a few steps inside before she was overwhelmed by everything she felt.

She felt irritated as someone deliberately bumped into her and she saw Seven turn to face her. Her lips were moving but she couldn't make out what she was saying over the roar of blood rushing through her head. She wondered what it would be like to actually be able to read minds, to have all those voices in her head at once. It was an unconscious thought.

She currently had no control over anything. Her vision started to blur and go gray. She knew she should breathe, but she couldn't seem to make her lungs expand as the dark bubbles started to fill her vision.

"I asked you a question."

She felt the firm grip on both of her shoulders, the cool of the corridor wall against her back. She blinked and looked into the piercing blue gaze. The irritation she had felt rise above everything else in the mess hall remained and she wondered briefly how she made it into the hallway. It became apparent that Seven had inadvertently assisted her.

"Why is it you are allowed out of your quarters while B'Elanna is confined to hers?"

Tegan took a deep breath. "You should ask B'Elanna or Captain Janeway."

"I am asking you."

"Seven?" It was Tuvok's even tone. He had been in the mess hall and was ready to assist Tegan out of the area when he witnessed the interaction.

"This is between Dr. Kiser and myself." Her grasp tightened on Tegan's shoulders forgetting about her enhanced Borg strength and that despite her own added hardware that Tegan was one-hundred percent human. "Dr. Kiser is receiving preferential treatment because of her relationship with the captain."

"Is that really what you think?" Tegan asked and felt the answer well up in her chest. "Of course it is."

"Do you believe I would give Dr. Kiser special dispensation because of her relationship with Captain Janeway?" Tuvok inquired.

"No, I do not."

"I was the one who approved and signed off on the punishments."

Seven let go of Tegan's shoulders and made half a turn to face him. "Explain why she got off so easy?"

"I cannot. You may ask Lieutenant Torres when she is no longer confined to her quarters." A flicker of dismay sparked in Tuvok for a fraction of a second before he could reign it in as he watched Tegan retreat down the hall. "Dr. Kiser."

"I'm going to sickbay." She had felt his consternation and under other circumstances she would have called him on it. As was she barely had time to think, _Vulcans have no feelings. HA!_

"Did I damage you?" Seven started to follow her but was drawn up short as Tuvok spoke.

"Let her go."

"But if I have damaged her."

"I don't believe you have."

An hour later Seven walked into sickbay. The doctor laid down the hypospray he had been cleaning and turned to her with a small smile. "Seven, what can I do for you?"

"I came to inquire about Dr. Kiser."

"What about her?" His lips straightened into an inquisitive line.

"She said she was reporting to sickbay and I want to know why."

"I'm afraid I can't just give out that information Seven. There's this thing called patient-doctor confidentiality."

"You often tell Captain Janeway of my medical conditions without my prior consent or knowledge." She stated in her matter of fact tone, then added, "Do you not?"

"I have in the past." He gave a single nod. "But there are certain things I am obligated to discuss with the captain. I have never discussed your health with Ensign Kim, or Chakotay, or anyone else for that matter."

She nodded accepting his reasoning even if she did not fully agree with it. "I was afraid I had damaged her."

"You were afraid you had damaged her?"

"Dr. Kiser, when I grabbed her in the mess hall and escorted her out to discuss why she was receiving preferential treatment from the captain, I am afraid I may have damaged her."

"She didn't come to see me because of an injury." He shook his head refocusing his thoughts. "Why is she receiving preferential treatment from the captain?"

"Tuvok ensures me that she is not and that I should discuss the matter with B'Elanna when she is no longer confined to quarters."

"Ah, I see."

"I do not see." She almost grumbled.

"You are upset because B'Elanna is confined to her quarters for fighting with Tegan, yet Tegan is not."

"Yes. Is that not what I just said?" She didn't know why he had to be so dense sometimes. "It does not make sense to me that they both did not receive the same punishment. As far as I can tell Dr. Kiser has not been punished in anyway."

"Oh trust me she isn't getting off scot-free either."

"'Scot-free'?" Her ocular implant lifted. "Explain."

"It's an old earth saying meaning to get away without paying, or without punishment." He expounded on the term. "I believe you should follow Tuvok's advice and talk to B'Elanna when she has finished serving her time."

"Was she hurt badly?" Seven's posture didn't change but her tone and eyes showed her concern for the woman she loved.

"You haven't seen her?"

Seven spoke as the doors to sick bay opened. "Not since just before they went into the holodeck."

"You knew they were going to fight?" Janeway's voice was low as Seven turned to face her.

"Yes." Seven didn't falter under Janeway's glare like some of the crew did. It didn't mean she didn't feel some trepidation when the other woman's wrath was directed toward her, but she kept it hidden.

"And you didn't think I should be told?" Maverick trotted into the sickbay office.

"I did."

"Seven," she growled. She hated having to pull every detail out. "Why didn't you come to me as soon as you knew?"

"B'Elanna asked me not to." Seven realized it was more of a command with a threatening tone than and actual request but she didn't feel details were necessary.

The doctor looked down as Maverick dropped his slobbery tennis ball on the floor at his feet. He nudged the neon yellow ball with his toe. "Ugh."

"In the future I would prefer to be made aware of any such situations as soon as possible is that understood?"

"Yes Captain." Seven looked down at Janeway's shoes for a second but only to give the other woman time to collect herself.

Janeway turned her attention to the EMH. "I was told Tegan stopped in."

"I'm afraid I can't discuss it Captain." He refused to wither under her glare. Unlike Seven he didn't fear Captain Janeway. Although if he had taken a moment to realize that he was now expendable he may have, but any doctor worth his salt would stand up to the Commander in Charge when it came to patient confidentiality.

"Is she fit for duty?"

"She is."

Janeway nodded and looked down at Maverick as she patted her thigh. "Let's go boy."

* * *

Janeway was sitting in her chaise reading. She had waited for Tegan to drop in to pick up Maverick or better yet stay the night, but she never showed. At 2230 hours she and Maverick entered Tegan's quarters only to find her sleeping on the bed. Again Janeway noticed her prosthetic was on and she was in her uniform. She debated waking her and helping her change but in the end decided against it. Maverick had curled up in his bed on the floor at the foot of Tegan's bed and refused to move much as he had the night before.

She laid her book on her lap when she heard the door chime, it was midnight and she knew Tegan would just let herself in. She sighed steeling herself. "Come in Seven."

Even though she had whispered it, Seven's Borg enhanced hearing picked up her name. "You knew it was me Captain?"

"I had a feeling." She tilted her head to the side to look at her. "What can I help you with?"

She stood with her feet shoulder width apart and her hands clasped behind her back. "I do not understand why B'Elanna is being punished yet Dr. Kiser is not."

"It really isn't your place to question my decisions." One eye brow dipped shrewdly nonetheless her tone remained neutral. "But I do understand your concern that I am giving Tegan special treatment, I assure you that I am not."

She continued by explaining that initially they had both been confined to quarters but that B'Elanna had explained what had actually transpired on the holodeck and requested that she reconsider. As a result Tegan was to work with Tuvok and B'Elanna's punishment remained unchanged.

"I see. Thank you Captain." She turned and walked out without so much as a goodbye.

"Anytime Seven, anytime." She spoke to the air around her. Out of curiosity she raised her voice to the ceiling, "Computer locate Tegan Kiser."

"Dr. Kiser is in the mess hall."

Her brow furrowed as she sat her book aside and headed out of her quarters.

Maverick turned his head when the doors to the mess hall opened but Tegan didn't need to look to know who was there. "Hey."

"I thought you were sleeping?" Kathryn stood there watching her look out the viewport at the stars as they continued their journey through the Delta Quadrant.

Tegan shook her head. "I was earlier for about an hour."

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"No." Tegan glanced over as Kathryn moved toward her. How could she tell B'Elanna that she would keep her secrets and then tell another crew member's hidden struggles? "I can't, sorry."

Kathryn put her hand on her lower back. "Come to bed with me."

She debated telling her she wasn't tired. It was the truth. But underneath that strong exterior Tegan could sense a quiver of fear. She could at least hold her while she slept.

"Did you sleep at all?" Kathryn woke to see green eyes resting gently on her face.

Tegan shrugged.

"You don't know if you slept?" She pinned her with her gaze.

She sat up knowing this would lead to a full blown argument if she responded, not that it wasn't heading that way anyway.

"You slept with your prosthetic on?" _You must have been really tired not to have noticed. _"And you're not wearing your protective sleeve."

Tegan looked at the arm in question. It was beginning to hurt which seemed odd to her. She didn't think it had hurt at all since she had received the 'gifts'. She was really starting to hate that word. Another shrug.

"Can you talk this morning?"

She grinned slightly. "I think so. I need to get ready for my shift so I can take him for his run before I drop him off with Tuvok."

"You need to eat." She looked at Tegan's skinny thighs as she got out of bed and how her underwear just wasn't fitting as nicely as it once had. "I don't need the doctor to tell me you're losing weight."

"I'll replicate a bagel or something after I take care of Maverick's needs." She looked at him. "Let's go eat."

She was trying to get into the routine of feeding him and taking a sonic shower, dressing and brushing her teeth while he ate, then they would go to his relief area for him to use the bathroom and next it was a trip to the holodeck where he had a standing thirty minute reservation every morning for his exercise time. If there was time in the evening she would take him back to the holodeck to play and run. He was uninterested in chasing after anything holorelated no matter how real it looked, so they often ran over different holo-terrains together.

"Good morning." The doctor greeted as she walked into the sickbay.

"You're in a good mood this morning doc."

He shrugged. "You're twenty minutes early."

"I promised Janeway I'd eat so I figured I replicate something and inhale it in the office."

"Take your time, there's nothing on the schedule this morning."


	8. Chapter 8

Tegan Chronicles STV Style 4:

Canis Major 8

The first thing B'Elanna did when she was released from her quarters was report to her duty shift which was already in progress. As soon as she caught herself up on everything that was pertinent and discovered that Voyager could continue to run for a few days without her at the heart of it, she slipped out of engineering. Had anything major happened Janeway would have pulled her to take care of it but currently things were running rather smoothly as far as the vessel and that sector of space went. Not that anyone would dare jinx things by saying it aloud. There were some repairs that needed her attention, but nothing that couldn't wait another hour or two.

Tal Celes turned as the doors to astrometrics seperated. "I, uh," she looked between B'Elanna and Seven. "I've got a physical I need to get to."

Seven gave her a brief nod barely noting what she had just mumbled as she faced B'Elanna.

"I missed you." B'Elanna announced before Celes ever made it out of the room.

"What exactly happened that Captain Janeway felt it necessary to confine you to quarters and not Tegan?"

"You didn't miss me?" B'Elanna sighed when Seven continued to wait for an answer. She quickly rehashed the events that took place after they had entered the holodeck. "So, did you miss me?"

"I am not speaking to you B'Elanna Torres."

"That's ok." She stepped into her space. "You don't have to speak for me to kiss you."

Seven stepped back. "I am not kissing you either."

"Come on Sev, it's been over three days."

"You owe her an apology." Seven held her ground.

"I got her out of being confined to quarters." B'Elanna huffed. "What else do you want?"

"For you to offer her a genuine apology."

"And you're going to hold out until I do?"

"Yes." Seven turned back to her console.

"Then Gre'thor may freeze over before either of us gets any action." B'Elanna mumbled while unbeknown to her Seven smirked ever so slightly.

B'Elanna had worked over a few hours to make up for time missed that morning and to catch up on some of the maintenance she preferred to do herself. As she walked up to her quarters she heard a dog barking. She rubbed her forehead wondering what had ever prompted her to encourage Tuvok to go back for the dog and then why she had to point out that minor changes could be made to take care of his waste. She growled. "Shut up."

He didn't stop and she walked over and banged on Tegan's door. "Shut your dog up!"

He continued to bark and it occurred to her that aside from when he had distracted the Hirogen she had never really heard him bark. He may have barked once or twice but not incessantly like he was now.

"Computer locate Tegan Kiser."

"Dr. Kiser is in her quarters."

"Great." B'Elanna hit the door chime and waited all of ten seconds before overriding the door lock.

Maverick who was sitting at the door howling abruptly stopped and ran over to a prone Tegan and stood looking between her and B'Elanna.

B'Elanna reached down to feel for a pulse.

* * *

"I didn't know you cared B'Elanna." She spoke before ever opening her eyes.

"I don't." She lied. "You're damn dog wouldn't shut up." She took a breath, "Janeway's on her way."

"I'm fine."

Janeway had been summoned by the doctor. His request had merely been for her to report to sickbay at her earliest convenience. She walked in and immediately spotted Tegan lying on a bed with Maverick sitting guard at her side. B'Elanna stood at the foot of the bed and the doctor was in his office looking for something. "B'Elanna?"

"I didn't do anything." B'Elanna threw her hands in the air. "I just found her when that mongrel wouldn't shut up."

Janeway watched her shutter as she used a word she hated to be called herself. "Sorry B'Elanna."

"Can I go?"

Janeway nodded and turned to look at Tegan who rolled into a sitting position. "What happened?"

Tegan shrugged and realized her prosthetic had been removed. "Where's my arm?"

"When's the last time you took it off?" The doctor stepped out of the office.

Tegan shook her head.

"You've been wearing it for days." Janeway pointed out.

"And without your protective sleeve," the EMH nagged. "When did you eat last?"

Tegan nudged Maverick with her toe and he looked up at her. She wasn't formulating an answer but rather enjoying the shifting mood from making Janeway wait. She glanced up and smiled. "Lunch, I replicated a turkey club sandwich and potato salad. You're welcome to check the replicator and the recycler."

"You have an infection where the skin on your arm broke down from continued wear, I believe it caused you to pass out in your quarters and hit your head." He didn't wait for Janeway to decide to check the replicator or not. "I don't know how you didn't know your skin was breaking down."

"It was only hurting a little and whenever I thought about it, it wasn't a good time to check on it."

"What happened to it hurting all the time?" Janeway's question received and inquisitive glare. "I talked to Tuvok about your arm hurting when you two were first connected to the neural link."

Tegan made a face. "You could have just asked me about."

"I am asking you about it now."

"I don't know. It just got better on its own."

"Anyway," the doctor started talking again. "I have an antibody against the bacteria for you and I've got your prosthetic locked away until I've determined you can safely wear it again. You're also not to wear it without the protective sleeve again."

Tegan just nodded, there was nothing she could say to change his mind and she wasn't really in the mood to argue. She glanced at Kathryn knowing her lack of rebuttal had intrigued her in the least, she let her eyes travel over to the EMH who studied her closely while he waited for her to spout off fifty reasons why she needed her prosthetic.

"I'm tempted to keep you overnight." He continued to watch her with great interest as she took a deep breath but said nothing. He looked at Captain Janeway. "However if you are willing to keep her for the night I'll release her."

Kathryn rubbed her chin. "I don't know."

"Are you really going to make me beg?"

A mischievous grin played at the corners of her mouth but she kept the sensual thought to herself not wanting to embarrass her EMH or worse yet give the man any fodder for his incessant gossiping.

Tegan grinned lightly before becoming serious. "I need to take him to the holodeck and eat, other than that I'll either read or go to bed."

"I did mention you hit your head and you were unconscious didn't I?" The doctor was certain he had.

"Concussion protocol?"

"Precisely."

She rolled her eyes and regretted it as her stomach lurched. She made a point to look at the hypospray the doctor was holding and lifted her chin.

He pressed it to her neck and injected her.

"So?"

Kathryn nodded she knew she couldn't say no to Tegan.

When Kathryn walked into her quarters after taking care of Maverick's needs she looked over at the couch where Tegan was lying with her eyes closed in a pair of shorts and a t-shirt with a wet head of hair resting on a folded up towel. Maverick immediately went over and gave her kisses. "Yuck, what if I had been sleeping?"

"He knew you weren't." But Kathryn hadn't been so sure.

"I'm sorry." Tegan's green eyes floated up to her from the couch.

"For?" Kathryn sat on the edge of the chaise and slipped her boots off.

"I was going to replicate dinner and have it waiting for you after my shower but I was just too tired."

"Your body is fighting an infection. It'll take a day or two at least before you feel better. And here I thought you went to medical school." She became serious. "I do wish you would have waited to take a shower until I got back."

"I really wasn't in the mood for company. I just wanted to get clean."

"You pass out in a hydroshower and you can drown."

"I guess I wasn't thinking." Tegan sat up and pointed to Maverick's tennis ball that was lying in his bed. She thought he was being overly spoiled, so far he had a bed in her bedroom, Kathryn's bedroom, Kathryn's living room, the sickbay office and the captain's ready room with toys in each place.

He picked up the tennis ball and came to stand in front of her with his tail wagging. When she reached for it he turned his side to her and lowered his head with his tail still wagging.

"His new game, keep away and I don't like it." She snapped her fingers. "Give it."

He sighed and dropped it in her hand.

She tossed it in the direction of the bedroom. "Dinner?"

"I'll take care of it, what did you have in mind?"

Tegan stood up and stepped toward the replicator. "Something not burnt to a crisp."

"It does seem to like you better." Kathryn watched Maverick come trotting back with the ball in his mouth and drop to the floor while chewing on it.

"What are you in the mood for?" Tegan really didn't care what she ate or if she ate.

"Something that you will eat." Janeway unzipped her jacket and slipped it off. She was beginning to wear it more than she did the jumpsuit, a habit she blamed on Tegan who never wore the jumpsuit uniform. She said it was the most inefficient piece of clothing and she was surprised people still wore them.

* * *

"Hey," B'Elanna caught up Tegan in the hall the next evening. "Do you have a minute?"

"I'm on my way to meet Tuvok."

She made a face. "Meditation?"

"Penance." She grinned as B'Elanna fell in step beside her.

"Sorry."

"Whatever." Tegan blew it off.

"No." B'Elanna stopped walking and grabbed Tegan's arm halting her forward progression. "Really, I mean it. I don't know what got into me, I'm really sorry."

"It's fine B'Elanna. I understand, I'm a bit of a freak now." She looked down at her missing arm. "Well, more of a freak."

"No, you're not. You're just different and I shouldn't have taken advantage of your new abilities to get you to fight me just because I was having a bad day… um week."

Tegan nodded. "I accept your apology B'Elanna, now I'm going to be late."

"Friends?"

"I didn't know we weren't?" Tegan flashed B'Elanna her heartwarming smile before stepping into the turbolift.

* * *

Tegan met Tuvok in his quarters as requested. "How did he do?"

Tuvok watched her merely move the flat of her hand up to face Maverick while still keeping her arm at her side and he immediately sat.

"Never mind," she said before he could conjure up an answer. "I thought Vulcans didn't have emotions."

He watched her grin as he flipped from frustration with Maverick to annoyance with her observations before he was able to smooth them over with his normal Vulcan calm. He prided himself on being able to hide his emotions from some of the strongest and most versed Betazoids, and here Tegan was able to read him like an open book. Either she was extremely good or he was getting rusty from his time in the Delta Quadrant. "You are extremely observant."

"It's an important trait for any decent doctor to have, but I'm also beginning to think it's a curse."

He looked down at Maverick who sat perfectly at her side. "While he is very well behaved, I do believe you chose his name wisely."

"Because he isn't following your orders?"

"I cannot even get him to sit."

"Maverick?" Tegan watched him turn his pale blue-gray eyes up to her. "Why don't you do what Commander Tuvok tells you?"

He scooted closer to her and gave her a sad look.

"Maverick, come." Tuvok commanded.

Maverick turned his head back to him and thumped his tail twice but remained seated next to Tegan.

"Go on." She encouraged.

He let out a loud sigh as he got up and slowly walked over to Tuvok.

"Sit." Tuvok ordered.

Maverick laid down on the floor and Tegan tried not to laugh.

"I don't know what to tell you Tuvok." She turned and looked at the door a second before the door chimed.

"Come in." Tuvok instructed.

Tegan had known who it was before the doors ever split apart and Maverick sat up and began beating his tail against the floor. "Captain, what are you doing here?"

"I was summoned to retrieve Maverick." She watched him wag his tail at her while trying to keep his rump firmly on the floor. He kept Tegan in his peripheral vision just in case she made any gestures for him to follow. "How is his training going?"

"I am beginning to believe it is a lost cause. It appears he will only follow orders from Dr. Kiser."

"That could be a problem." Janeway shot him a look that sent most of her crew running for cover.

He continued to wag his tail.

Tegan lifted her hand and started to step toward Kathryn. "Captain?"

"No," she stopped her with one word. "It's lack of coffee, a cup or two and I'll be fine. Come on Maverick."

He looked up at Tegan who nodded once before he jumped up and ran over to Janeway who picked up his leash and walked out with him.

Tegan let out a burst of air and turned to Tuvok.

"I would like to try something different. However I am not sure if you are up for it."

"I'm up for anything. I spent all of yesterday lying around doing nothing, and today was extraordinarily slow in sick bay."

"If you are certain."

"I am." She watched him for a minute. "So what are we going to do?"

"I have the ability to control my emotions."

"Right, it's that Vulcan thing."

"I am going to pull up emotions from my past and I want you to block them."

"How?"

"I do not know." He had already tried all the techniques he knew to try. "You are going to have to figure that out."

"Why do I get the feeling I'm really not going to like this?" She looked around his quarters. "Maybe we need a safe word."

"It is probably a good idea."

"Popsicle."

"Very well." He held his arm out. "Make yourself comfortable."

"What no meditation?"

"If you would prefer it."

"No. I was being sarcastic Tuvok." She pulled out a straight back chair and took a seat.

"Would you not be more comfortable on the couch?"

"I'm not sure I can get comfortable with what we're about to do, so let's just do it."

He nodded and grabbed a chair for himself and placed it facing her before he sat down in it.

"So is this like a mind meld without the whole 'your mind to my mind' stuff?"

"Not exactly, I will be feeling the emotions and magnifying them around you. Are you ready?"

"Fire away." She took a deep breath as his mood shifted from his everyday calm to anger so extreme it seared her like a white hot poker. She started to sway on the chair and immediately she felt Tuvok's calm wash over her and one of his hands grip her right shoulder.

"Did I say popsicle?"

"You did not."

"Then why did you stop?"

"I remembered something." He thought for a second. "I must do some more research before we continue this any further."


	9. Chapter 9

Tegan Chronicles STV Style 4:

Canis Major 9

"Hey." Tegan looked up when the doors to her quarters opened and Kathryn stood at the entrance.

"Do you mind if I come in?"

Tegan sat up on the couch her brow wrinkling. "You know you're always welcome here, at least I hope you do."

She didn't stop to give Maverick an ear rub when he greeted her like she normally did. "Tuvok and I talked, we're concerned about you."

"I'm fine." She automatically threw out.

"We're concerned about your new abilities and what they could do to you both mentally and physically if you can't learn to control them." She clarified.

Tegan was glad she didn't refer to them as her gifts. "I'm fine both mentally and physically." She realized the statement would have been more believable if the doctor didn't currently have her biomechanical arm under lock and key. "Honest."

"A week ago B'Elanna took advantage of your empathic abilities to make you enter a physical altercation with her where you could have seriously hurt her or vice versa."

"I know, but I didn't use my prosthetic."

"You can't even go into the mess hall. You've given up singing on Friday nights, which I know you loved. It's not healthy and it's going to take its toll. And that's just the empathic part of your abilities. Your ability to take pain away has caused you to collapse on more than two occasions with one of those being in the middle of a mission.

"It's not unheard of for Betazoids to go insane and some even commit suicide when they are unable to filter out the thoughts and feelings of others."

"I'm not going to commit suicide." Tegan huffed.

"Tuvok and I are going to do some research over the next couple days and see what we can find to try and help you with this. I've also drafted a letter to be sent out to some contacts of mine, back in the Alpha Quadrant, who might be able to help. It will go out on the next data stream to earth."

"Whenever that is," Tegan muttered.

Kathryn gave her a sad smile. "Hopefully sooner rather than later."

"In the meantime?" Tegan knew there was another shoe, there was always another shoe.

"In the meantime we'll do everything we can to get through this."

"And I'm stuck on Voyager? No missions, no shore leave."

"And," Kathryn took a breath, "limited duty."

"What?" Tegan blinked. It was the other shoe.

"Just for now."

"How limited?" Tegan had suspected she wasn't here as Kathryn and that was why she had asked for permission to enter her quarters, now she knew.

Janeway stood straighter and puffed her chest out slightly. "Emergencies only, for now."

Tegan's nostrils flared and she glared at her. "I'm being demoted to the status of an emergency medical hologram."

Janeway watched Maverick move into the bedroom. "It's temporary."

"That's bullshit."

"Excuse me?" Janeway could always count on Tegan to voice her opinion, although she was often more diplomatic about it.

"That's bullshit, Captain." Tegan ground her molars together. "You might as well just put me in a torpedo casing and jettison me out into space."

"If we weren't in your quarters right now…"

"You'd what? Throw me in the brig?"

Janeway shifted her weight from one foot to the other and back. "You have your orders."

"Aye Captain."

Tegan felt the shift in mood as a nervous apprehension bubbled just below the surface seconds before Kathryn asked. "Are we still on for dinner?"

Tegan loved that about Kathryn, how well she hid her insecurities. Even though she had known that Kathryn had them before she could feel her emotions, she admired her ability to keep them just out of sight. She answered while trying not to sound indifferent, "Sure."

* * *

Kathryn watched her push the food around her plate. She had only seen her actually take one bite. "You're mad at me."

Tegan lifted her eyes but kept her face tilted toward her dinner. She could feel Kathryn's emotions simmering. She wanted to keep things separate, but she was currently so mad at her captain she wanted to scream and she couldn't even complain to her girlfriend about how unfair the whole thing was. "No."

"Yes you are." Kathryn pulled her napkin off her lap, wiped her lips and tossed it on top of the remainder of her dinner.

"I'm not happy with Captain Janeway," She shrugged. "I'm fine with you."

"So, you want to have sex tonight?"

"No." She pushed her plate back.

"See you are mad at me." Kathryn stood up and put her own dish in the replicator to be recycled.

"Because I don't want to have sex tonight, I have to be mad at you?" She rolled her eyes.

Maverick who had been lying at her feet got up and trotted over to the bed by the couch.

Kathryn shook her head. The question had been thrown out to ease the tension not increase it. "It's temporary, I promise."

"I don't want to talk about this. You are doing what you feel you must do as captain"

Kathryn wished it was as simple as that. She wished it was just the captain in her who made the decision, but it wasn't. The only redeeming grace was that Tuvok and Chakotay had whole heartedly agreed with her decision, from a command point of view. Kathryn knew she couldn't always protect Tegan though she wished she could.

Tegan stood up and added her dinner and dishes to Kathryn's on the replicator platform before hitting the recycle button. When she turned around Kathryn had moved away. Tegan stared at her for several minutes, taking in the line of her jaw as Kathryn stared out the transparent aluminum that comprised the large porthole. She moved into Kathryn's space and wrapped her arms around her waist from behind. She pulled the stiff woman into her and moved her lips to her ear. "It isn't fair."

Kathryn stiffened even more.

"It isn't fair," she repeated softly and continued, "for me to blame you for the captain's actions; even if you are the captain."

"But you're still mad at me." Kathryn's voice was low.

Tegan spun her around gently so she could look her in the eye. "Yes ok, I'm mad. I'm mad that I can't work, and I'll probably go mad because I can't work. I'm not at all happy that Tuvok remembered this lovely piece of information, and I'm pissed that he and Chakotay agree with you on it."

"Do you have a better alternative?"

"Let me work." She let go of her and turned away.

"Would you be a danger to yourself if I did?" Kathryn wanted to reach out and touch her but she didn't.

"Will I if you don't?" She spoke without thinking.

"I don't know but I know that by not letting you work you won't be a danger to those around you." She watched Tegan's shoulders slump. "Tegan?"

"First do no harm." Tegan mumbled.

"What would you do in my shoes?"

Tegan spun back to her with her eyes blazing with annoyance. "The same damn thing."

"Then why are you mad?"

"Because I'm the one being grounded." She stepped forward and slouched into Kathryn wrapping her arms around her. "Because I will go insane with nothing to do."

"Then I'll find something to occupy your time. I promise." Kathryn pulled her close.

"Can I be mad at you and love you at the same time?" She placed a soft kiss in front of Kathryn's ear.

"Yes."

"I love you." Tegan whispered huskily into Kathryn's hair.

The next morning after dropping Maverick off with Tuvok for training, Tegan headed to astrometrics. "Icheb." She smiled at the young man before looking at Seven. "Hello Seven."

"You are bored." Seven stated her observance rather than issue a greeting.

"What makes you say that?" Tegan glanced at Icheb who grinned at her.

"You have been ordered off duty, have you not?"

"Yes, but—"

"And you are here."

"I'm here because I wanted to ask you a question."

Seven lifted her optical implant and turned her face to Tegan. She gave her permission to go ahead with a single nod.

"Have the Borg ever assimilated a Betazoid?"

"Yes, during Worf 359."

"Do you happen to know how they block telepathy?" She was hopeful.

Seven thought for several minutes. "They usually gain their abilities during adolescence and they mainly learn to filter out the feelings of others as their abilities increase overtime. Unlike you, who are neither adolescent nor Betazoid, they do not just wake up with full abilities. Often those who gain their abilities earlier or are born with them are stronger, but they end up with mental problems because they are unable to filter out outside stimuli."

Tegan watched Seven study her as she wondered how often she was going to hear that.

"Is this what you are afraid of?"

"No." Tegan answered quickly before she softened her tone. "Thank you for the information."

"I wish I could offer you more assistance."

"Thanks Seven." She forced a smiled. "Don't worry about it."

She left astrometrics and went straight to the bridge. She stepped out of the turbolift and froze momentarily before she reminded herself she could easily handle six people and it was only a few more steps to the ready room, where she hoped Janeway was.

"Can we help you Doctor?" Chakotay asked.

Tegan blinked and looked down to see both Chakotay and Janeway leaning forward and craning their necks to look back at her. "I—uh—yes." She hated what this was turning her into. She had never truly stuttered in her life, or found herself so frequently off balance and at a loss for words. "Captain, do you have minute?"

"Certainly." Janeway stood up and led the way to her ready room. She turned once the doors had closed behind them. "How may I help you?"

Tegan just blurted it out without any pretense, "I want to die."

"What?" Kathryn visibly blanched her command mask faltering.

"Well, not die, die. More like a controlled near death experience." She grinned. She hadn't meant to attack it the way she had. "Actually I was just thinking coma."

She pulled her command façade back in place. "So you start the conversation with, 'I want to die'?"

"I thought it might soften the blow?" She shrugged.

"So we're talking about a controlled medical coma?" She turned and ascended to the upper level of her ready room before she walked over to her replicator. She needed something strong to drink, in the end she ordered her usual. "Coffee, black."

"I don't know that that will get me where I need to go."

"You don't even know that dying will get you there." She turned back to Tegan with her coveted coffee in hand and shook her head.

"No but like you said, I could die if I don't learn to control it."

She moved back toward the steps but stopped short. "What makes you think you'll find answers there?"

"I figure it's worth a shot."

"The transmission to Starfleet went out at 0200 hours this morning. Give it a few days."

"I'll go insane with nothing to do." Tegan reiterated her argument from the night before while forcing herself to keep any hint at whining out of her voice. She huffed. "I didn't have to come to you about this."

"Tegan," Kathryn's tone warned.

"What?" Tegan's voice stepped past sarcastic. "Let me guess, as my Captain you forbid my body to do whatever it is my body does?"

"I forbid you to do anything to further endanger your health." Janeway set the record straight.

"Of course you do. You're the Captain." In some far recess of her brain she heard the monster whisper, _Delicious._

"I mean it." Captain Janeway cautioned.

"What are you going to do, throw me in the brig?"

"I'll confine you to sick bay." She promised before looking into the depths of her untouched coffee.

"That's even better." She smiled slickly.

"Give me two days, hopefully by then we'll have another transmission from headquarters."

"Fine," Tegan relented. She had been grasping at straws with the hair-brained idea in the first place.

"I want your word." It was one thing Kathryn knew Tegan wouldn't break.

"You have my word. Forty-eight hours."

"Dinner tonight, my quarters, 1900."

"Aye, Captain."

"Dismissed." Kathryn sighed as the doors closed before she took a long drag from her now lukewarm coffee.

* * *

Kathryn turned when she heard the doors to her quarters' hiss. A wide smile was plastered across her features which reached her eyes. Tegan walked in with Maverick at her side, she glanced around quickly finding Kathryn over by the replicator. She frowned at her joyous expression. "What are you so happy about?"

"Has he eaten?" She ignored the question as the doors slid shut behind the beautiful redhead who even looked hot in a pair of heather gray sweat pants and a t shirt.

"Yes. We just finished up his evening exercise routine." She stared at Kathryn paying no attention Maverick's longing gaze. Finally she growled, "If you smile any bigger your face is going to crack."

Her eyes twinkled and she tried to stop grinning so broadly. "We've found a way to stay in contact with headquarters. It's a small window everyday but it's enough to allow live communications and Deanna wants to talk to you tomorrow."

"Deanna?"

"Deanna Troi, she's Betazoid and a friend of mine." Kathryn waved to one of the empty chairs at the dining table. "The rest of the crew doesn't know yet, aside from Seven who took the transmission, Tuvok, Chakotay and myself. We've decided to wait until you speak with Deanna to let the crew know and then each member will draw a tile with a number on it to be able to talk with their loved ones."

"I don't want to preempt anyone." Despite how badly she wanted to get back to work she didn't think it was fair for her to jump the queue. Tegan shifted her weight from one foot to another glad she hadn't actually taken a seat yet. She looked down at Maverick and released him, he quickly trotted over to Kathryn who patted his head absentmindedly.

"You aren't, it's medically necessary."

"And of course Tuvok and Chakotay agree?" This time Tegan did pull out the chair and slid into it. She was tired despite having done nothing all day long. Just walking through the hallways was starting to take a toll on her mentally, though she would never admit it.

"They do." Kathryn didn't dare tell Tegan that Tuvok had actually backed the decision with a little more than his normal Vulcan gusto. He was worried about Tegan. Kathryn had known him long enough to see the subtle clues. "Dinner?"

Tegan nodded and watched as Kathryn ordered up roasted chicken with roasted potatoes and carrots. She loaded food on to Kathryn's plate and handed it to her before doing the same with her own. She picked up her fork and stabbed one of the small potatoes and took the whole thing into her mouth. She moved it to the back of her mouth with her tongue before crushing it between her molars, feeling it burst from the skin with a satisfying pop. She chewed it thoroughly before swallowing and looking at Kathryn whose smile had faded when they fell into companionable silence. "So, tell me about this Deanna Troi."


	10. Chapter 10

Tegan Chronicles STV Style 4:

Canis Major10

Tegan walked into sickbay early that morning and activated the EMH. He looked her over carefully before he spoke. "What can I do for you?"

"I need my arm."

He frowned his forehead wrinkling and she smiled lightly. Before she had gained her telepathic ability she could have actually forgotten that he was made up of merely photons and force fields. He had a dry sense of humor and the normal God complex a lot of doctors managed to pick up, his expressions were flawless but now she couldn't feel his emotions and it was a stark reminder that he was a piece of technology. She would never say it out loud; it would hurt him to be reminded that he wasn't made of flesh and blood. Although he would rattle off all the reasons he was superior because of his make-up, he was also dependent on a program that ran on electrical components. She realized they weren't really all that different after all, they were both vulnerable.

"No."

"Just for an hour." Tegan didn't want to talk to Deanna with one arm. She wasn't sure why but she didn't want that to be Deanna's first impression.

"How's your stump feeling?"

"Like a stump." She pulled her jacket off and showed it to him as he ran the medical tricorder over it.

"Fine." He relented. "Two hours tops and I want it back or I will hunt you down."

"Yes sir." She watched as he smiled at the added 'sir'.

* * *

When the turbo lift doors opened Tegan looked up to see Kathryn was inside. She grinned as she stepped in.

"Astrometrics?" Kathryn already knew the answer. "Did you find the doctor's hiding place?"

"No." Tegan shook her head. "He is letting me wear it for a couple hours then I have to return it."

Kathryn nodded.

* * *

"Deanna." Kathryn smiled broadly when the transmission cleared up on the screen.

"Kathryn, it is so good to see you." Deanna offered with genuine sincerity. "I do wish it was under better circumstances, but I am glad to know that you are alive and well."

"Thank you." Kathryn indicated Tegan. "This is Dr. Kiser."

"Dr. Kiser." Deanna's eyes moved to her.

"Counselor Troi, please call me Tegan."

"Tegan," She smiled. "You can call me Deanna. I've been looking forward to talking to you since I received the message from Captain Janeway."

"I'm going to let you two ladies talk." Kathryn excused herself.

"You have remarkable eyes, Tegan."

She was surprised she noticed them on the screen. "Thank you, you should see them in person."

Seven glanced briefly in Tegan's direction as she monitored the communication relays that had been set up.

"I know we're short on time and I've read the information Captain Janeway sent regarding how you came upon your abilities. I also understand you are working with a Vulcan to try and learn to control your abilities but you haven't had much luck."

Tegan nodded. "I've been working with Tuvok. I've also done a lot of research and I've tried every Betazoid technique I've come across but without any luck."

Deanna listed every technique she could think of, all of which Tegan had tried. "I'm not giving up and I don't want you to either. I have a friend who is a professor at the University of Betazed, I'm going to contact him and see if he has any suggestions."

Tegan could pick up in her tone that she wasn't very hopeful.

"I will send you a message in the next communication bundle and I expect to hear from you as well."

"Thank you."

"I look forward to our continued correspondence." Deanna managed to say just before the transmission cut out on them and the screen went black.

Tegan blew out the air in her lungs and looked at Seven. "That was helpful."

"Was it?" Seven couldn't help but over hear the conversation and she didn't think Deanna had shone any new light on the situation.

"Sarcasm Seven." She sighed and headed out to return her arm to the doctor.

At lunch time Kathryn managed to get away from the bridge long enough to drop in on Tegan. "How did your conversation with Deanna go?"

"She seems nice enough, but she didn't have any suggestions that I haven't already tried."

Kathryn sighed.

"She did mention getting in touch with a Betazed University professor, but it didn't sound promising." Tegan took a deep breath. "In the meantime I'd like to—"

"No." Kathryn cut her off.

"You didn't even let me finish."

"As Captain I'm telling you no. You are not going to do anything that could jeopardize your health until we have exhausted all other more viable options."

"I think you are letting our relationship cloud your judgment." She growled.

"I was afraid of the same thing so I ran your request past Chakotay and Tuvok. They both back me up unequivocally." Kathryn tried to read Tegan's expression. "They feel to let you go through with it would be irresponsible at this point."

Tegan didn't argue with her and Kathryn excused herself without setting up plans for the evening.

It was after 1830 hours when the doors to Tegan's quarters slid open and Maverick stood to greet Kathryn. "Hey you."

Kathryn stepped in and gave her a half grin while stopping to rub Maverick's ears. She watched Tegan set the PADD she was reading aside. "Am I interrupting anything important?"

"Nope, boring Deltan biology."

"Deltan?"

"Just trying to learn as much as I can about as much as I can." Tegan shrugged. "I wish I had Seven's mind."

"No, I'm glad you don't." The comment earned Kathryn a small amused grin. "Do you want to come to my quarters? I have a tub?"

"You have a tub?" Tegan laughed. "How long have you been working on that line?"

Kathryn frowned.

"Are there going to be bubbles?"

"Yes."

Tegan hopped up off the couch. "I'm game."

When they stepped into the turbolift Maverick sat his rump right on top of her foot, again. She looked down and said "Shadow" while watching him intently. He didn't move a muscle until the doors slid open.

After a relaxing bath for two and dinner Kathryn cleaned up the dishes, then she sidled herself up against Tegan on the couch so their bodies touched. Kathryn slipped her hand into Tegan's and intertwined their fingers. She felt Tegan relax into her and before too much silence settled around them she spoke. "Who or what is 'shadow'?"

Tegan pulled her head off her shoulder and looked at her.

"You've said it twice now that I'm aware of."

Tegan nodded, she knew exactly what Kathryn was referring to. She didn't like talking about him, in fact she had blown the whole thing off as a long story when she had been caught mumbling about alien dogs just before Maverick was commanded to her care. It wasn't that she didn't have lots of good memories with him and for the briefest of seconds a sad smile haunted her lips as she thought back to him and Cassie playing in Jack's backyard during a Memorial Day cookout. "How much time do you have?"

Kathryn squeezed her hand reassuringly. "All night."

"It hope it doesn't take that long." She forced a laugh and rubbed her thumb over the back of Kathryn's hand while picking the best starting point. "SG1 was sent off world toPX4-254 to look into a rather odd epidemic that had affected all of the prepubescent males." She knew the number designation would mean nothing to Kathryn. "The boys under twelve had been contracting the illness. Eight boys had already died and eleven more were sick. It was a small population but you can imagine what kind of impact that would have on a group that is trying to survive and grow. The mission was pretty much put on my shoulders and of course I couldn't say no, it wasn't like I was given a choice."

Tegan took a breath and rested her head back on the couch. "There had been a tank that had housed approximately ten mature Goa'uld symbiotes. According to the townspeople a dog managed to get into it and killed them all. The Goa'uld who had been there for over eighty years killed all the dogs in retribution for his loss, it was after the last dog was killed that the first boy got sick.

"On an interesting side note, the Goa'uld usually take on the names of gods from Earth's different religions. This Goa'uld was Ogbunabali the Igbo god of death. His name literally meant 'one who kills in the night'.

"We set up camp in an area that was out of the regular patrol areas of the Jaffa serving Ogbunabali and I set up a make shift field clinic. I had one patient, his name was Corrye." She stared off at the wall for a minute without talking before she continued. "He had light blue eyes and beautiful golden brown hair. He was the ninth boy to become sick and so far he had lived longer than any others, by now we had reports that ten more boys from the village were sick. I had sent Sam—Major Carter back to the SGC with blood samples."

Tegan sniffed and swallowed at the lump that was trying to form in her throat.

"You don't have to tell me." Kathryn offered an out for Tegan.

"No, I want too." She wanted to be more open with Kathryn and if she couldn't tell her about her past then what kind of relationship would they really have? "When I got the results back it was just as I had feared, he was in renal failure and there was a buildup of heavy metals in his blood. I wanted to take him back to earth and dialyze him but his parents forbid it, it was against their religion.

"He was only ten," she smiled softly. "While I'm standing there arguing with Daniel and Colonel O'Neill about how unfair it is, about how his parents should be doing everything they can to save him; I hear him behind me say 'We all have to be brave in our own way.'

"For ten years old, that kid was smart. He even managed to somehow talk me into getting an hour of rest. When I came back to the tent he was in fifty-nine minutes later his condition hadn't changed but over the next twelve hours it took a nose dive. I was doing all I could do which wasn't much. Mainly I was controlling his pain. Just before he lost consciousness he told me he was ready to die, I almost lost it right then and there." She looked down as Maverick wandered out of Kathryn's bedroom and put his head on her lap. She let go of Kathryn's hand and rubbed the top of his fuzzy head.

"I stayed with him until he took his last labored breath. And then Daniel announced he was going to take the body back to his parents so they could do his right of passage, and he asked if I wanted to go. I basically got upset and told them to tell his parents they could rot in hell and then I threw my stethoscope across the tent into an area Colonel O'Neill had just vacated, instead of landing with a clatter, as it should have, it made an odd thump followed by a yelp.

"Out of nowhere this black dog with one white ear steps out from behind these boxes. Jack swore he wasn't there seconds ago. It's funny he was Maverick's height now, about the size of a Labrador but his physique looked like a cross between a Great Dane and a Doberman. He started following me around." It had just occurred to her that both dogs had Great Dane characteristics, even if Maverick was going to be bigger. "I left the guys to take care of Corrye's remains and I went to write up my reports and rest before I packed up. A little while later Jack brought in this envelope with my name on the outside written in a child's hand, I tucked it in Corrye's chart. The dog wouldn't leave my side and he would growl at Teal'c and Sam's dad. Of course I thought he just didn't like men. When we gated back I told him to go home but we had a group of Jaffa hot on our tails and I heard him yelp so I ran back and scooped him up.

"When we got back to the SGC and the gate shut down General Hammond was not happy. We told him the dog was injured, but darn if I could find a single wound on him. He was put in a holding cell until I could talk the General into letting me run some tests. I was given 48 hours before he would be sent back through the gate. When his time was up his return trip through the gate was interrupted by a team returning. He started growling and attacked Captain Saunders. Just as the dog lunged for him Saunders' eyes lit up, he was a Goa'uld. Evidently as an after effect of eating the symbiotes he had naquada in his blood and could detect Goa'uld. So, it was determined that the dog would stay and the guys named him Shadow because he was my shadow. I wasn't given a much of a choice in keeping him but I certainly didn't mind."

Tegan scratched Maverick's ears. "When I finally read the letter from Corrye he told me his dog was the one who killed the symbiotes and that his dog hadn't been killed and if I found him to please take him home with me and take care of him." She remembered the letter word for word, though she wasn't currently up to reciting it. "He was a good dog, followed orders from the beginning just like Maverick. Although I have to admit he did listen a little bit better to other people. He would stay with Janet and Cassie when I was off world. In the end he died protecting me from Nirrti. Actually, he received fatal injuries and I had to put him down. Sometimes Maverick reminds me of Shadow."

Kathryn pulled Tegan into her chest and held her tightly. "Thank you for sharing that with me. I know it wasn't an easy thing for you to go through."

* * *

A/N if anyone is interested in reading the full story of how Shadow became Tegan's dog it is TC4: Corrye and can be found in my stories on


	11. Chapter 11

Tegan Chronicles STV Style 4:

Canis Major 11

It was two days later when Tegan gasped lightly, her hand grabbing her lower abdomen.

"Are you ok Dr. Kiser?" Seven pushed the holo-doctor aside as she stepped around him.

"I'm fine." Tegan dropped her hand and stood straighter.

"You look pale." The doctor moved toward her with his tricorder probe held up in the air between them.

"You can put that away Doctor, it was merely a gas pain."

"Uh huh." He lifted his photonic brow. "And just how long have you been experiencing these 'gas' pains?"

"It was one pain, singular." She held up a finger.

"Doctor, if you are done with me…" Seven drew his attention.

"Actually your optical implant needs adjusted."

Having already retrieved what she had gone to sickbay for Tegan retreated towards the door. "Have fun you two."

"If you experience any more 'gas pains' please come back and see me."

"Of course Doctor."

Kathryn flipped her hair behind her ear with her fingers. She had only given into Tegan's request to play when the other woman told her she could beat her with one arm tied behind her back. Kathryn had told her it would be a little hard since she currently only had one arm. Tegan told Kathryn she was splitting straws and if she didn't do something soon she was going to go completely insane. "Come on, you're letting me win."

"No, I'm not." Tegan adamantly denied the accusation as she wiped at her sweat beaded brow.

"You're right. You're too competitive for that." Tegan, like Seven, had never given Kathryn an edge just because she was the Captain. It was something she appreciated about both women. If B'Elanna had been the Velocity type, she doubted B'Elanna would have either. She saw Tegan grimace. "Are you alright?"

She breathed deeply and nodded. "Muscle cramp."

"Maybe you should see the doctor?"

"I'm fine, besides we have the holodeck for the next fifteen minutes, and I still plan on beating you."

"Good luck with that." Kathryn laughed as she readied herself for the next game. She was already leading one game to none and it had almost been a runaway which should have caused her more concern.

Kathryn had just sat down in the Captain's chair at the start her shift the following morning when the distinct sound of a dog barking came over the com system. She looked at Chakotay, "Is that Maverick?"

He thought he asked some stupid questions. "Do you want me to check it out?"

"Yes." She nodded and looked back at Harry. "Shut that noise up Mr. Kim."

"Aye Captain."

"Computer, locate Dr. Kiser." Chakotay requested as he headed for the turboshaft.

"Dr. Kiser is in her quarters." Came the monotone female's voice in response.

"Tuvok, you're with me." He canted his head toward the exit.

* * *

She pushed to her feet ignoring the stillness in the air. "Where are you?"

"Delicious." A voice oozed around her.

"Not you." She spat at the nameless thing and raised her voice. "Where are you?" She would continue to yell until she was too hoarse to carry on, he showed up, or she was yanked back into the land of the conscious. "Where are you? Show yourself? I want some answers."

"You aren't supposed to be here." The deep voice boomed vibrating the earth beneath her feet as the sky darkened to a sickening black with streaks of green in the boiling clouds.

"You gave me these gifts and then you don't tell me how to control them." She accused.

"If Irene would have left well enough alone you would have learned how to control them over the time it took for them to fully develop."

"Take them back. I don't want them. I never asked for them." She cursed into the wind that howled around her, whipping her hair up into a firestorm of vibrant red on her head.

"Most people don't ask for gifts." He chuckled mirthlessly at her audacity. "I can't take them back. I won't take them back."

"Then show me how to control them."

"My, you are demanding aren't you?"

"Please." She didn't want to beg, but she would if she had to.

"Put your hand on the tree."

She turned and placed her palm against the trunk of the willow tree. Invisible tendrils shot out lashing at her, sliding up her arm through her shoulder and shooting up and down her spine, branching out into her head. White hot heat slithered along her spine engulfing each and every nerve fiber until she could no longer stand. As she crumpled to the ground the darkness swallowed her whole.

* * *

"She didn't do this on purpose Captain." The EMH looked at her as if she had grown a second head. "You can't will your appendix to rupture."

"No but she was having pain last night when we were playing Velocity and she complained of gas pains when she was in here at the end of alpha shift yesterday." She paused for half a second before needlessly pointing out, "Pain from an appendicitis isn't mild."

"I don't know what to tell you Captain, except that she did not do this on purpose." Though he couldn't be sure he didn't think anyone could endure that kind of pain if there was any chance at intervention.

"Still she did say she wanted to die." Kathryn looked down at the pale form on the biobed.

"Under controlled conditions if a medically induced coma didn't do the trick." He reminded her, though he didn't know why he was defending the hardheaded human. "You did allow Lieutenant Torres to die under similar circumstances in order to return to the barge of the dead."

The EMH pressed a hypospray into Tegan's neck and depressed the dispense button on it.

Tegan groaned and opened her eyes. "What happened?"

Kathryn was glad she didn't come to with her normal 'I'm fine' declaration. It still didn't appease her anger which was currently being driven by her concern. "You mean to tell me you don't know?"

Tegan closed her eyes for a second trying to figure out just what had happened before opening them again. "I remember waking up with severe abdominal pain this morning and knocking my combadge on the floor when I tried to call the Doctor."

"If Maverick hadn't stepped on your combadge and alerted us to your condition you could have died."

She looked over at the EMH knowing cooler heads prevailed.

"Your appendix ruptured. You really were in bad shape when they found you."

"You think I did that on purpose?" Tegan sat up and groaned as she reached to support her lower abdomen.

"Didn't you?"

"Doctor would you excuse us a minute?" Tegan waited for him to deactivate his program. "If you think I'm going to be that easy to get rid of, think again. I told you I wasn't suicidal."

"But last night…" Kathryn's tone dropped an octave.

"I honestly thought it was a pulled muscle or a cramped one. We were playing really hard."

"True." Kathryn conceded. They always gave it their all on the velocity court. "So did you find what you were looking for?"

"I don't know, but I think so."

"I hope so." She squeezed her hand quickly before letting go. "Stop doing stuff like that, that's an order."

"Aye sir." She grinned.

"And from now on Maverick stays with you." Kathryn had already discussed it with Tuvok and he agreed. "He isn't cut out to be a full time security dog."

Tegan looked around the room and frowned. "Speaking of?"

"Seven is walking him." She didn't give Tegan a change to ask if it had been a voluntary task before she announced, "I need to return to the bridge. I'm glad you're ok."

Tegan waited for the doors to sickbay to close before speaking to the empty room. "Computer please activate the EMH."

* * *

Tegan was sitting in the mess hall finishing up dinner with B'Elanna when Seven walked up. It had been two weeks since her appendix had ruptured and she had been going to the mess hall for lunch and dinner for the last ten days. She had also been patrolling the halls regularly with Maverick who was still following her orders without pause but wouldn't listen to anyone else. Part of it was to keep her sanity, she couldn't stay in Kathryn's quarters or her own a minute longer without needing to be institutionalized.

"Join us." Tegan pointed at the empty chair beside B'Elanna with a fork full of Leola root.

Seven pulled the chair out and lowered herself into it. Beside her B'Elanna growled low in her chest, a small rumble meant for only Maverick's ears.

Maverick stood up and looked at her.

She did it again and he snarled at her but wagged his tail. When she did it again he growled back loudly.

"Hey!" Tegan looked down at him concerned. He had been growling a lot in the last week and if she thought about it, they had always been eating dinner in the mess hall when it happened. "Stop that."

He looked at her and sat down quietly.

B'Elanna growled carrying it out until he jumped to his feet and started barking.

"Maverick!"

He stopped and looked at Tegan.

"B'Elanna." Seven's tone warned.

"What?" She grinned.

"You are goading him."

Tegan looked up at her with an exasperated look. "You? You've been inciting him on all week haven't you?"

Her grin grew as she shrugged with one shoulder.

* * *

Tegan wanted to ask her to let her go back to her normal duties but now wasn't the time or the place. She pushed her empty plate back.

"Do you want more?"

Tegan pulled the napkin from her lap and wiped her lips as she glanced down at Kathryn's plate. "I'm full. You?"

"I'm done." Kathryn watched her stand and clear the table. "Are you going to perform at the Nightingale tomorrow night?"

Tegan turned after the dishes recycled, a large candid smile consuming her features. "I am. Are you going to stop in?"

"If I can." She really wanted to.

"Seven would like that." Tegan bent over and wrapped her arms around the still seated Kathryn from behind.

"Would she now?"

"Uh huh." Tegan mumbled into her ear.

"And you?" Kathryn grinned.

"I'd love it. You know, if your duties as captain allow it."

Kathryn managed to get away and stepped into the holodeck just as Tom announced Seven who stepped onto the stage wearing a skin tight sleeveless emerald green gown that flared at the knee and puddled lightly on the floor. Kathryn was momentarily mesmerized and thought she looked like a mermaid, a beautiful mermaid with the voice of a siren. She knew Seven was a beautiful young woman, and not just on the inside but she often forgot just how physically stunning she could be. She blinked as she realized Seven's implants were missing. Suddenly she felt a sickness build in the pit of her stomach as she realized Seven had programed the holodeck to place the illusion there. She frowned inwardly. For all of Seven's outward appearance of confidence she was self-conscious under it all. She wondered why she hadn't noticed before.

She allowed her mind to focus back on the melodious lyrics that were effortlessly floating past Seven's ruby lips rather than berate herself for the things she had forgotten to help Seven with over the past few years. She made a mental note to talk with her later and at least see if she was happy. She quickly realized she didn't have to ask Seven about her happiness as she saw the twinkle of sheer delight in her eyes. She followed Seven's gaze to see an equally lovesick look adorning the face of her Chief Engineer. She couldn't help but smile herself as she wondered if that was how she looked at Tegan.

When Seven finished the song she moved her eyes to Kathryn and a small smile spread over her lips. That smile was all Kathryn needed to know she had done the right thing in severing Seven from the collective and in coming that night. It was the smile of a small child who just spotted a proud parent in the crowd. Although outside of the chain of command Kathryn looked at Seven as more of a friend and she hoped she felt the same about her.

When Tegan stepped on stage Kathryn's brain froze and she really hoped her mouth was still closed as she took in the dark blue evening gown with flared sleeves, the way it hugged her body until it fell to the floor at her hips. Tegan didn't try to hide her prosthetic arm which was still in its normal state and Kathryn smiled lightly when her eyes had returned to it. Even as she felt the warmness coalescing at the apex of her sex, she silently hoped Tegan's plans for after the performance had something to do with them both being free of their clothes. She blinked and pulled on her command mask as she caught the seductive look being sent her way as the lyrics to 'Lady in Red' finally connected in her head.

Tegan's naked body bounced on the mattress seconds after she was pushed roughly back on it. She smirked wickedly. "You know I did have a ruptured appendix two weeks ago."

"Sorry." Kathryn murmured as she climbed on top of her.

"Don't be." Tegan relished the feel of Kathryn's heat as she lifted her thigh to meet her center before flipping their positions. "I'm not."

* * *

"Come." Janeway looked up from behind the desk in her ready room where she had been reviewing reports. She fought the urge to smile as a uniformed Tegan stepped through the doors with Maverick in a heel position at her side. "How may I help you?"

"I want to go back to work." She didn't mince words.

"The doctor hasn't released you."

Tegan stepped forward and handed the PADD in her hand to Kathryn. "I just came from seeing him and he says I'm fit for duty."

Kathryn lifted her eyes from the PADD.

Tegan watched her eyes travel her body as she tried to come up with a response. "It's been two weeks as of yesterday. I'm fi—" She stopped herself just in time. "I'm better. I'm able to block the empathic stuff and physically…"

Kathryn allowed herself to blush lightly as Tegan's tone brought back memories of the night before. She quickly slammed her command mask back into place and nodded. "Fine, tomorrow morning you may report to duty as normal."

"Thank you Captain." Tegan beamed without restraint. "Off the record?"

"Go ahead."

"Dinner, holodeck two, 1900 hours?"

"And if I had declined your request?"

"I would have had to follow up dinner with something a little more strenuous than last night's activities to prove I was fit for duty." She tried not to blush.

"Maybe I should reconsider." Kathryn grinned not sure she could handle or even imagine anything more strenuous or pleasurable than what they had done the night before.

* * *

A/N: Thanks guys for all the feedback and for your patience as I finished writing this chapter. It may be a little while before I start posting TC5 which is very much in progress already. But with other responsibilities and Thanksgiving here in the US this month. I'll try and start posting it before Christmas, but I don't want to leave too much hanging when I do start posting it since Christmas is also just around the corner. As always your feedback keeps me going, and I can't thank you enough for it.

Per request I have decided I will post the other L&O:SVU/X-Files crossover story very soon... as in between now and when I post TC5 to help tide some of you over. I know it isn't TC, or Voy for those of you who are only reading this because of those reasons.

See you during the next story!


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